‘Having presented well over 1,000 episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio 4 series, Melvyn Bragg has made the decision to step down from In Our Time following the series which aired earlier this year. Melvyn has presented every episode of In Our Time since the series first launched in 1998,’ wrote the BBC.
Lord Bragg
‘Over the years, a select few BBC radio programmes have carved out distinctive niches in the nation’s affections’ writes The Guardian. It continues, ‘In Our Time embodies something fundamental to media. It is living proof that it is possible to be both serious and popular.’ I would often listen to Lord (Melvyn) Bragg and his esteemed guests on the radio from whom not only did I learn a lot by listening to their fascinating insights and sharing of their expertise but enjoyed their conversations as if they were chatting with me directly and personally over a coffee ☕️ or an evening drink🍷. It was as relaxing as it was informative. I look forward to listening to the equally brilliant new presenter, Mishal Husain.
“WHAT’s IN A NAME?” asked the Bard, for, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” says Shakespeare or, I should say, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
WELL, 7 SEPTEMBER 2025 IS FINALLY UPON US, and many of you would be aware of the final 7 days of the writing journey of my latest book, Discrimination in Employment Law in 7 Days. All 7s! It was conceived in the United Kingdom and born in Kos.
THE BOOK COVER 📘was CREATED and DESIGNED by ART (appropriately named) over a year ago. I fell in love with the design instantly. It encapsulated fully the concept of the book before a single word had been written by me. I imagine that to be not too dissimilar to that of a songwriter who speaks to their producer who then interprets what has been conveyed and applies an arrangement in line with what they believe is the songwriter’s wishes. I mentioned what I was about to write and the cover was produced, created and designed accordingly. It is subtle, simple and clever. Look carefully!
Discrimination in Employment Law in 7 days
FIRSTLY, there is only one ‘in’ not two. That is deliberate. SECONDLY, the single ‘in’ is placed strategically in the 7 to convey the ‘in 7’ part of Discrimination in Employment Law in 7 Days.THIRDLY, Employment Law crosses through and is ‘in’ the 7, as in ‘Employment Law in 7’ days. HOWEVER, notably, unlike with the word ‘in’, not all of ‘Employment Law’ is in ‘7’ because one would need many more days and much more space to cover it all (literally and on the cover itself!). But, there is enough to give one a good grounding.
Discrimination in Employment Law in 7 days
ALTHOUGH THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM TODAY, it does not stop there. I have a special interest in education. Personally, I have benefitted from it with three degrees and two grads of my own. I have been a trustee and governor of many schools, so I am working on an education law element to ADD to the book, which will be published soon. So watch this space!
Déjà vu is widely recognised as the sensation of having previously experienced a current situation. Many individuals encounter this feeling of familiarity without being able to pinpoint when it occurred; typically, it transpires in places one has not visited before. Although my experience was somewhat different at the time, I only realised its significance years later when the memory resurfaced.
Several years ago, a friend of mine spent a few days in Paris on business. My late mother often remarked that I was exceptionally instinctive, contrasting her meticulous planning with my tendency to make last-minute decisions that frequently proved successful. My approach prioritised minimal preparation for maximum enjoyment. Having not visited Paris in some years—despite multiple prior trips—I spontaneously contacted my friend regarding the return flight. Upon learning of a late departure, I arranged immediate travel to Charles de Gaulle airport, coordinating to meet after my friend finished work at 5pm local time. Following a swift packing process, I travelled by train to Victoria Station, transferred to the Piccadilly Line to reach Heathrow, flew to Paris, and took a train to Gare du Nord. After several failed attempts, we eventually met at one of the Starbucks within the station.
Leaving the Paris Métro, Opéra, we walked to the hotel. The surroundings seemed vaguely familiar somehow, which I attributed to the night time conditions, winter, and fatigue, especially since my prior accommodations were nearer to the Avenue des Champs Élysée. After settling in, we searched for an appropriate dining venue and chose nearby O’Sullivans, a bar located on Boulevard Montmatre. It was lively, hosting both Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain fans as Champions League matches played on multiple screens. The atmosphere was energetic and enjoyable, largely due to the overwhelming local support for PSG. Both teams performed well; I recall neither suffered a loss that night and may even have won. ⚽️
The next day included brunch at Ladurée on the des Champs Élysée, a trip to Tiffany & Co. (as one does), greeted by the famous picture of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and visits to Notre Dame (before the fire) and the Eiffel Tower. On the way back, we had refreshments near Gare du Nord before narrowly making the return flight—which is a story for another blog. After arriving back in London, we parted ways following an eventful 24-hour period. I was in court in Central London the next day, thinking, ‘What on earth just happened!’ 🤔 It was surreal.
Like Father, Like Son
A few years later, whilst organising some photographs of mine, I found a picture of my soulmate (mentioned in a previous blog to whom I pitched Like Father) and me taken outside a hotel in Montmartre when I/we first visited the French capital. Remarkably, the recent hotel was within close proximity to where I had first stayed in Paris aged just eighteen. This revelation explained the sense of familiarity I had and provided some sense of closure. Years afterwards, I surprised my son with a spontaneous trip to Paris. I collected him straight from school on a Friday afternoon and with his clothes already packed, we headed around the M25 motorway to Terminal 5 (T5), Heathrow. Though tempted to revisit the previous hotel of all those years ago when I was in my teens, I refrained from doing so, preferring instead to preserve the special memories associated with that most precious experience.
NOT SURE if one can ever fully be at peace and, if so, it is likely to be only a temporary state of mind or condition when there is currently such instability in the world around us.
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, however, after a tough day at work, I relish silence and tranquillity with a book – a biography or novel. I studied 19th century literature and I still like to read novels from that era. The classics. However, I am a great fan of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, both of whom I have seen and met (with many others, of course!). I saw Toni at the Edinburgh International Book Festival (ironically, I was also in Edinburgh the year she sadly passed away for a wonderful tribute to her) and Alice, I have seen twice; once at the Cheltenham Book Festival and once at the Barbican Centre, London. Unfortunately, every time Dr Maya Angelou visited London, I seemed to be the last person to know and, naturally, too late to secure tickets. ☹️ I digress. Simple answer? Reading 📖
Many people admire the profession I am in. So do I. Not many people get paid for their opinion (giving an oral or a written advice), starting or defending a case (drafting the pleadings), to argue at work (cross-examination), pitch their wits against some of the brightest and the best (opposing Learned Friends) and or to persuade another (a judge and or the court).
But what of the day when you don’t want to argue with anyone? You have a cold, you are suffering from a stinking headache and all you want to do is sleep 😴 because you had a rough night. Answer? You can’t call in before 9am, speak to the boss and say you are going to have a self-certified day off. That’s a No! No! The judge, your opponent, your client, the witnesses are all waiting for you! The show must go on! And, it must go with YOU there! Or, it CANNOT go on without you! It is a fun and rewarding profession, at which you work very hard. Occasionally, you can say, hand on heart, you made a difference to someone’s life that day. The joy is indescribable! I would, therefore, recommend the legal profession and the Bar to any and everyone. 👩⚖️👨🏾⚖️
But, what has all this to do with the title, writer? Very little. Having practised for many years at the Bar, I would love to find a desk somewhere, place down my laptop 💻, play the music to suit the mood at the time and write a novel or two, if not more!✍🏾
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
If I were to open a shop, I would have to sell books and music. Naturally, because it would be rude not to, I would the read books 📚 throughout the day whilst listening to the music to be sold. That will feel more like a hobby than running a business. Of course, I have chosen the two products to sell that consumers no longer browse the shops for; it’s online. However, there are still some people, like myself, who cherish going to a bookstore (like the one would open) and touch, read a few pages and select their favourite works of literature. And if I don’t make enough money from the business itself, I could always do some, a little, legal work to support it. Idyllic! 📚🎧
IT HAS BEEN fascinating seeing how far and wide these blogs have reached. 🌍 🗺️ 🌎 I remember when my first book, Like Father, Like Son, was published and I saw it on the Barnes & Noble website or in a library or in a bookshop. What a feeling! Blogs are fun, especially after a long day. I find them relaxing. If you are in any one of these countries, thank you for reading, and please do drop me a line to say hi. 👋🏾
theorist.blog by Ryan Clement
THIS SUMMER was the first time that I had actually written abroad. My editor had travelled to Costa Rica twice 2 years ago (that is twice in one year 2 years ago!) and had met an author who spends a few months a year at the same hotel, finishing off his novels. How wonderful is that! The closest I get to that is writing ✍🏾 my closing submissions in different hotel rooms for court the next day. Not the same but not too dissimilar, either, as there can be an element of creative writing 🖋️ in seeking to persuade a court to accept your take on the facts and the law, which may differ diametrically from one’s Learned Friend’s, the opposing Counsel’s, who, respectfully, is being equally as creative as you.
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT that when the book is published, I would associate it with these Diary blogs and Kos even though 95% of it was written outside the Greek island’s jurisdiction.
I HAVE THE SAME FEELING whenever I think of Like Father. It was a sunny but crisp Sunday morning, and the idea came to me. I had a beginning and an ending (the middle took care of itself as I trusted the protagonists, Rupert, Patricia, Dexter, Donna and Josephine, to deliver, which they did emphatically!). So I called my soulmate at the time, Sue, who, sadly, has since said goodbye to this world 🌎 (Gone Too Soon! 😔), a victim of C! I TOLD HER THE PLOT as I had it in my head that morning whilst we sat in an ice cream 🍨 parlour on Chiswick High Street in West London. She liked it and therefore I wrote it. She was my first critic. Years later the publisher went bust, so I decided to publish it myself. I remember travelling to Leeds and Amazon in Northamptonshire to deliver copies to be sold. It was fun 🤩 Years later, again, and after I had completed both a creative writing diploma course at Birkbeck College, London, and a BA in English Literature, I decided to do a rewrite of parts of the book. However, I kept it true to the original. I began that journey over what was to be called Hemingway Christmas, which is another story for another day in another blog.
I AM NOW WRITING another novel that begins its setting in the tiny Caribbean island 🏝️ of Grenada 🇬🇩 In my view, there are too few stories set in the Caribbean. So I intend to play my small part.
FOR NEWCOMERS, the diary entries capture my daily creativity and the challenges I faced whilst completing my book on Employment Discrimination Law. It details my writing process ✍🏾, the book’s content, and my experience whilst working and holidaying on the beautiful Greek 🇬🇷 island of 🏝️ Kos 🏖️.
Creative process challenges: Despite my plans to get sufficient rest before an early flight ✈️ from Gatwick before Day ONE of a writer’s diary, I stayed up late due to an energising phone conversation with Caz about our future training plans, resulting in limited sleep but productive writing nevertheless.
Book content and focus: The book, titled, “Discrimination in Employment in 7 Days,” provides a detailed overview of the Equality Act 2010, covering protected characteristics, types of discrimination, employer and employee rights, and employment tribunals’ role and process, structured over seven days for a comprehensive understanding of this area.
Writing timeline and environment: Initially, I had planned to complete the draft last year, 2024, but had to adjust my schedule due to other professional commitments. Therefore, my writing took place in various locations, including Yorkshire, Surrey, Gloucestershire and, finally, Kos, where I found an inspiring room with a balcony and views conducive to creativity.💡
“Finally, it has been a pleasure having your company over the past seven days. Thank you!”
NEVER HAVE sixteen words felt so good as I write the final two sentences, the final paragraph of the book and take a gentle but small sip of my Daiquiri from the clear cocktail glass. My drink had been calling me since I began the final page. Its calling became louder and louder with each passing word. The sweet aroma of rum, accompanied by a thin slice of lime, became more penetrating with each passing paragraph.
Ryan Clement 