A map folded out of the cover of a children's book was something I loved. The standard was set by the Lord of the Rings, which allowed you to see where Frodo went. As an adult, I discovered that the fantasy worlds were closer to home than I had thought.
I was surprised to learn that many of the landmarks in the books were based on the geography of the author's childhood, like the Sarehole Mill where he was born.
Nadine Dorries spent most of last week suggesting that the Commonwealth Games could finally put Britain's second city and the entire West Midlands on the map. If the culture secretary wants to get to know her, she should take a day out on the excellent Birmingham Museums Tolkien Trail.
The UK's withdrawal from the EU's scientific funding, including the £80 billion Horizon programme, is likely to be felt most acutely for decades to come. One department that was set to close because of the loss of EU funds was the world-leading Cambridge University comparative cognitive lab, which has done innovative work in understanding the advanced intelligence of the corvid family of birds.
The problem of finding new homes for the hand-reared birds that have been partners in her research was faced by the centre's leader. Thanks to $500,000 in public donations, the centre has been saved for the foreseeable future. Plans for the bird's middle age remain uncertain since rooks can live for 80 years.
One of the more bizarre moments in the hustings debate was when Liz Truss said she would channel the spirit of Don Revie if she became prime minister. The Don is not a good role model due to the fact that Revie had left Elland Road by the time Truss arrived. Revie left the national team midway through the World Cup in 1974 so he could take up a lucrative job in the oil-rich U.S., after failing to qualify for the European Championships. It's possible that Truss is already imagining a career path like that.
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