I’m a New Zealand writer with over thirty years hands-on professional experience as a published author and in publishing. My main interests are in the sciences – physics, particularly, though I’m deeply curious about a lot of stuff, especially the human condition. I have qualifications in writing, music and anthropology among other fields, and hold multiple post-graduate degrees in history. I’m also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University College, London. However, I don’t define myself as a historian and prefer not to be labelled as one. History is but one of the things I do. What’s more important to me is understanding people, whose story is told by history and by science, sociology and philosophy – aspects of which I learned post-grad under a former student of both Karl Popper and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Did I mention I also like science fiction? And fantasy? I’m a huge Tolkien fan. I write a lot – fiction (mostly fantasy and science-fiction) and non-fiction (well, yes, it’s mostly history, but I’ve done science and engineering too). My published writing, sold on merit, includes over 550 articles, academic papers, reviews, novellas and short stories, and over 50 books on topics ranging from travel guides to biography, engineering, military and social history. I’ve been published principally by Penguin Random House.
This week’s obscure English word is tournedos. Well, when I say English, I mean really French – it’s another one English has pinched from them. It means a small round cut of beef. Your challenge? Write a sentence (or two) in the comments using this word. Copyright © Matthew Wright 2018 Advertisements
One of the ways we justify going to Mars is that Earth is pretty much on the road to ruin just now, courtesy of human endeavour. We need a new planet. The only problem is that human nature doesn’t change, so we’d probably end up wrecking Mars too, likely while fighting viciously over how to … More Humanity – the scourge of the galaxy
I’ve got a cooking dilemma. Can anybody help? I found this recipe online, first published in the Chicago Tribune in 2016, and subsequently around the world: 2 cups flour, 2/3 tb salt, 1/2 tb dried thyme, 1/2 tb dried basil , 1/3 tb dried oregano, 1 tb celery salt, 1 tb ground black pepper, 1 … More Solving a cooking dilemma
This week’s obscure English word is fipple. It’s the mouthpiece of a recorder or similar wind instrument with a horizontal slot. Your challenge? Write a sentence (or two) in the comments using this word. Copyright © Matthew Wright 2018
I’ve seen suggestions of late that we shouldn’t call today’s intolerant authoritarians ‘Nazis’, because the word is specific to the political party that came to power in Germany in 1933. Actually, I think ‘Nazi’ is great term to describe such behaviour. Why? Because the underlying forces involved are the same. The crimes against humanity perpetrated … More Why we have to call out intolerance and hatred
I am a great enthusiast for found humour. You know – stuff in everyday life that’s a complete crack-up. The highlight the other week, for me, was a menu featuring ‘Goujons of Fish’, which had all sorts of possibilities. ‘Goujon’. A cool word, and so bursting with potential for scurrilous-sounding meanings. Say it slowly. ‘Goujon.’ … More On the wonders of found humour and fish goujons
This week’s obscure English word is prodrome. It’s a seventeenth century medical term, derived from French, meaning an early symptom that signals the onset of illness. Your challenge? Write a sentence (or two) in the comments using this word. Copyright © Matthew Wright 2018
