Alice O'Keeffe is a literary critic and journalist, and author of On the Up
November 2022
We’ve been troubled by nits for millennia. How comforting
Alice O'Keeffe
The earliest written sentence has just been discovered – and its subject still resonates with parents today
October 2022
Observer walks
Street smarts: educational guided walks across the UK
From architecture in London, street art in Belfast and city routes hosted by former homeless people, here are some of the most informative trails on offer
‘We were taught to be winners’: refugee turned Olympian Yusra Mardini on the Netflix drama of her life
The swimming prowess of the Syrian Nardini sisters helped save their sinking refugee boat. Here Yusra talks about The Swimmers, thenew film that tells their amazing story
Enough is enough: five activists fighting back against Britain’s cost of living crisis
As the UK faces the toughest winter in decades, leading campaigners against food and energy poverty, poor housing and other key issues share their anger
July 2022
Lies, spies and dirty tricks: the truth about Britain’s undercover police
The Observer exposed infiltration practices in 2010 – the BBC’s Sherwood shows how TV drama can keep the issue alive
January 2022
Smile by Sarah Ruhl review – what if you could no longer look happy?
Robbed of her smile by Bell’s palsy, the playwright is forced to confront difficult truths in this moving and subtle memoir
March 2021
Artists may have felt useless in lockdown, but we need them more than ever
Alice O'Keeffe
The pandemic has shown us that a life with just the ‘basics’ of food and healthcare isn’t enough, says author and literary critic Alice O’Keeffe
February 2021
I feared the social isolation of lockdown most – but I'm tougher than I thought
Alice O'Keeffe
Some friendships have deepened and strengthened, while I’ve also begun to learn the benefits of self-reliance, says author Alice O’Keeffe
July 2020
My allotment was once a casual hobby. Since lockdown, it's become a lifeline
Alice O'Keeffe
Growing our own potatoes is fun – but the pandemic and looming trade deals have exposed Britain’s fragile food security, says author Alice O’Keeffe
June 2020
Further reading
The best books for frazzled parents – and their children
From a practical guide to an escapist novel, Alice O’Keeffe picks her favourite reads for those locked down with kids
May 2020
Book of the day
Wild Child by Patrick Barkham review – why children need nature
From blackberry picking to digging a pond ... a perfect lockdown reminder of how having fun outdoors is essential for children, in cities as well as the countryside
March 2020
World Book Day isn’t about fancy dress (apologies to the boy who went as a giant atlas)
Alice O'Keeffe
Instead of rote learning useless facts, children should be taught wellbeing
Alice O'Keeffe
February 2020
My Wild and Sleepless Nights by Clover Stroud review – what does being a mother feel like?
Early years support sets a child up for life. It should be a national priority
Alice O'Keeffe
January 2020
The film industry has utterly failed women. I won’t put up with it any longer
Alice O'Keeffe
I’m sick of films dominated by male perspectives. This year I’m changing my cinematic diet, says author Alice O’Keeffe
December 2019
Wait, be patient, keep faith: an unlikely mantra for life
Alice O'Keeffe
In these turbulent times, we can all learn from novelist Anna Burns’s creative process for opening her mind, says literary critic Alice O’Keeffe
November 2019
RuPaul's Drag Race: episode-by-episode
Watching RuPaul taught me that drag isn’t just for queens
Alice O'Keeffe
'Bookshops pass on anything to the right of Tony Blair': are publishers failing leave voters?
January 2019
Outsourcing education to Clarks shoes: only a Tory could think of that
Alice O'Keeffe
The government’s proposal that shop workers should kickstart children’s early development is laughable, says literary critic Alice O’Keeffe
