06 Nov 2026, 11:11 PM

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‘Fan’ mail | Lessons from history | Natural fabrics | Perthshire pirateThank you, Joe Dunthorne, for your dogged investigation of the book club scam (Like many authors, I’m bombarded by scam fanmail. I wasn’t prepared for what would happen when I wrote back, 1 November). I get two or three emails like this a month, promising me attentive reading of one or other of my books from 500 members. Then will follow a request for a modest fee, for “distribution” of my text. I know this, because I once replied. Last week I told “Anna” from Amherst (or was it “Vanessa” from Vancouver?) that I had forwarded her email to report@phishing.gov.uk. She thanked me for my interest.

Carolyn Steedman

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire• John Crace – who is always stimulating – says we are in “what is forecast to be the toughest decade for the country on record” (Digested week, 30 October). Oh, really? What about 1925-35 with the general strike, the great depression and the hunger marches? Or 1939-49 with the second world war and its aftermath? Or the soaring inflation of 1970s?

Peter Coltman

Leeds Continue reading...

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