Volume 125 Issue 4 July/August 2010

Cover Story

Of human greed: Laurie Taylor interviews David Harvey: A search for the reasons for the economic meltdown has prompted a turn back to Marx. Laurie Taylor meets the “dialectical materialist” geographer David Harvey who, 40 years into his career, is suddenly being taken seriously

Warm welcome: We plan to make the Pope’s visit a most uncomfortable experience, says Keith Porteous Wood
Chown's Cosmos: The eye of Sauron: This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows what will become of our own star, says Marcus Chown
Who are you calling a fanatic?: Rationalists should think twice about using a term which has, in its day, been used to condemn those who struggle for freedom and equality, says Alberto Toscano

Variety: The American philosopher William James died a hundred years ago. Jonathan Rée calls for a return to his humane example
Fun-loving Muslims: Islamic dating sites reveal Muslims to be just as shallow as everyone else, says Theodore Dalrymple
Material errors: In arguing that quantum physics challenges the materialist view of the world, Jay Lakhani gets his science wrong, says Mano Singham
Q&A: Tim Minchin: As he prepares for his first ever arena tour, we catch up with rising rationalist star Tim Minchin
The listeners: Les Back on the ordinary virtues of paying attention
Slings & arrows: Evolutionary archaeologist Timothy Taylor on the outrageous fortune that made us the dominant ape
Abs fab: Men are living longer than ever before. But, asks Sally Feldman, is that any cause for rejoicing?

Diary: Best of the worst: There are no bad books, just special ones says Robin Ince
Endgame: Never give up: Laurie Taylor looks through a glass darkly

Call of the wild: The useless, the tragic, the deranged. Herzog’s subject is always the human, says Fred Rowson

Book Review: Secret Affairs by Mark Curtis: Did the British government collude with terrorists? Richard Wilson finds out
Book Review: The Loser Letters by Mary Eberstadt: Andrew Mueller enjoys the end of a leaden satire of New Atheism
Book Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: Louise Foxcroft on the oddest biography ever
Book review: Neoconservatism by Justin Vaisse: Anatol Lieven assesses the past and future of an idea
Book review: In Office Hours by Lucy Kellaway: Winston Fletcher undresses the office affair