Chitra Ramaswamy’s How to escape from a desert island (G2, 12 April) reminded me of a Scandinavian equivalent to our “there was an Englishman, a Scotsman, an Irishman and/or a Welshman” jokes. Two Danes, two Norwegians and two Swedes were shipwrecked on a desert island. A fortnight later the two Danes were writing a book about their adventures, the two Norwegians were building a raft to escape and the two Swedes were still waiting to be introduced.
Harry Watson
Edinburgh
• South Herefordshire is somewhat closer to London than the Isles of Scilly (Patrick Barkham’s Notebook, 12 April), but as in St Martin’s, free-range eggs are for sale at the roadside on trust. Admittedly we have cars as well as tractors, but so few that drivers take the time to wave at one another.
Frances Ham
Blakemere, Herefordshire
• I do not know where Patrick Barkham lives, but many people live in a secret and sociable part of England. We call it the north; where we say hello and even talk to people we meet. It is also a place where some schools started their Easter holidays this Monday. Did the Guardian used to be called the Manchester Guardian? Some things have changed, but in our secret place many good things remain.
Mike Christian
Kendal, Cumbria
• Is the piece on Beyoncé (G2, 13 April) an article or a free advert?
Rachel Ester
Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
• Although I am delighted with the opportunity to read the recent tax returns that David Cameron and George Osborne have chosen to share (Letters, 11 April), I feel that the taxable income of their nearest and dearest might be worth a peek too.
Ian Grieve
Steyning, West Sussex
• “Save on international money transfers” (G2 ad, 13 April). Nice timing, Guardian.
Jim Wilson
Broughton, Oxfordshire
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
