To make a love story, you need a couple of young people, but to reflect on the nature of love, you're better off with old ones. That is a fact of life and literature - and of the novel ever since it fell in love with love in the 18th century. James Buchan 18thcenturycouple share on social
One of the consequences of the Iranian revolution has been an explosion of history. A country once known only from British consular reports and intrepid travelogues is now awash with historical documents, letters, diaries, grainy video, weblogs and secret police files of questionable authenticity. James Buchan authenticityawashbritish share on social
Saudi Arabia is a puritanical state that claims a monopoly of wisdom and virtue. James Buchan arabiaclaimmonopoly Change image and share on social
Cause and effect, the riddle of all history, is a particular devil in financial history; and never more so than today, where entire classes of security are collapsing not on public exchanges and stock-tickers but because there are no markets to establish prices this side of nothing. James Buchan classcollapsedevil share on social
Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born revolutionary who is believed by most Arab and Iranian observers to be the inspiration of the attacks in New York and Washington, is the best known of the Islamic militants to have emerged in the past 20 years and the least difficult to fathom. James Buchan arabattackbear share on social
Any new financial order for the world must tackle the three chief challenges of our age. James Buchan agechallengechief Change image and share on social
By pouring money and goods into devastated regions, foreign aid workers sometimes compound the disruption and debauch the survivors. James Buchan aidcompounddebauch Change image and share on social
The great disadvantage of getting older is to be obliged to relive the salient economic events of one's youth, with nothing learned and nothing forgotten. James Buchan disadvantageeconomicevent Change image and share on social