My mother, a devoted “lefty”, used to read the Guardian every weekend as we sat in a cafe in Exmouth, Devon. When perhaps I could have been engaging in the more traditionally adolescent pursuits in 1980s England, I chose being with family, sharing the stories in the paper and listening to my mother’s gentle tutting at the state of things. I spent many contemplative minutes attempting the Quick Crossword.
I lost my connection with this great paper for a number of years. Ultimately, around the millennium, I found myself in the Antipodes, attached to an Australian, and then to fatherhood and three young children. My experience of broadsheets in Australia was disappointing, and I yearned for something more global in its emphasis.
I subscribed to GW about two years ago, and have never regretted it. I love the considered nature of the articles, and the rational appraisal of the topics covered. Major events appear in its pages, but there is also coverage of more domestic stories from countries that I often know little about. This can be very illuminating, and I always feel more worldly after reading these stories.
My favourite parts of GW, however, are the articles at the end of the paper. And there is of course the crossword. This creates a bridge with my mother, who I suspect continues to tut at the state of things from the other side of the world.
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