At last, we have the thrilling prospect of a humane socialist alternative, while the Tories and Labour play footsie together—and Reform looms menacingly on the horizon. Six hundred thousand people have already signed up to Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn’s new party, which remains unnamed—though we’ve suggested the Humane Socialist Party.

This issue begins with Alchemy. Arun Kapil has written an article on cooking with water, flowers, and perfume. It is delicious and wild. If you love and appreciate food, then read it and breathe in the jasmine.

We are also proud to present an interview with A.F. Moritz, alongside three of his exquisite poems. The interview, conducted by J.W. Wood, opens with Moritz reflecting:

“I have the suspicion of the body and the love of the body and the lament of the body and the praise of the body. And I don’t know what this means, but I know that I want to circle around it because it is ultimate.”

This issue is rich with poetry—and why not? We are delighted to publish Yogesh Patel’s poem: a retirement home for gods. Before the eminent poet Sudeep Sen took up his position, Yogesh Patel was our founding poetry editor. Yogesh, was awarded an MBE for his work as a poet, for producing wonderful anthologies and for introducing diaspora poets into the British curriculum and into the mainstream of British literature.

Peter Cowlam, the consummate literary craftsman, has provided us with three well-seasoned, finely-jointed and polished poems, each with its own lustre. From Latin America, we have a wonderful burst of language: Martín Tonalméyotl’s poems appear in Nahuatl, Spanish, and English, while Celerina Patricia Sánchez Santiago’s work is presented in Mixtec, Spanish, and English.

We also feature a delicate portrait of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis by Norman B. Schwartz. She was a complex and fascinating woman whom Gore Vidal described as “rapacious and salacious,” Schwartz argues she was also gracious.

Short stories abound. Charles Dean, a complete newcomer, offers a science-fiction tale about a broken man in a broken world who claws his way back from despair by putting pen to paper—it’s a powerful debut.

From the experienced polymath and journalist Tina Bexson, we have the first instalment of The Villa of Zamalek, which reads like the opening of a magnificent novel. Meanwhile, the accomplished Amal Chatterjee delivers a twisted story—or, if you prefer, a story with a twist—that only a writer of his skill could pull off.

David Yip presents the second part of his memoir: a moving account of revindication, tracing his journey from working in a Chinese takeaway to becoming a chef—it’s honest, forthright, and confessional writing.

Phil Hall contributes four provocative discussion pieces. One argues that Germany should return to its tradition of neutrality and diplomacy. Another calls for a deliberate act of “civilisational triage,” urging us to think like Venetians in an age of disaster in order to rescue our civilisation. Hall, in another piece, contends that the Arab world must open its borders and accept responsibility for taking in Palestinian refugees, noting the willingness and speed with which millions of Ukrainians were given refuge.  Arab nations remain reluctant to take in Palestinians in the face of unspeakable horror. Why? Finally, Hall praises BRICS, not for taking an oppositional stance to the Western Alliance, but for offering an alternative and constructive framework to tackle global crises, from climate change and AI governance to conflict reduction and inequality. We should welcome and support BRICS.

Our final discussion piece stems from conversations—via email—with Avi Loeb, exploring the nature of an interstellar comet hurtling toward the inner solar system. Loeb entertains the faint possibility that it could be artificial. Why not? As he says, it’s a pedagogical exercise—one that compels us to consider the implications.

This issue is brimming with skill, thoughtfulness and imagination. We really hope you enjoy it.

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