June 2024

Behind the scenes: what it’s like to be a junior author for the OHCM

By Dearbhla Kelly, Iain McGurgan, and Peter Hateley

To mark the release of the much anticipated 11th edition of the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine (OHCM), Oxford University Press spoke with the three new authors of this edition: Peter Hateley, a GP based in New Zealand; Dearbhla Kelly, a Critical Care Medicine fellow in Oxford; and Iain McGurgan, a Neurology Resident in Switzerland. The author team shared their experiences of writing the world’s best-selling medical handbook.

How to turn your PhD thesis into a book

By Sam Bailey

As an OUP editor who has also completed a PhD, one of the most common questions I am asked is how to turn a thesis into a book. My only-slightly-flippant answer is don’t.

Some gleanings and the shortest history of bummers

By Anatoly Liberman

Every English dictionary with even minimal information on word origins, will tell us that lord and lady are so-called disguised compounds. Unlike skyline or doomsday (to give two random examples), lord and lady do not seem to consist of two parts. Yet a look at their oldest forms—namely, hlāf-weard and hlæf-dīge—dispels all doubts about their original status (the hyphens above are given only for convenience).

Dictators: why heroes slide into villainy

By Oxford Open Economics

Many autocrats come to power with good intentions only to morph into monsters. A new model explains common drivers of this inexorable slide.

A listener’s guide to Sand Rush [playlist]

By Elsa Devienne

Writing Sand Rush forced me to watch some of the worst teen movies ever produced by Hollywood— I’m never getting that one hour of my life spent watching The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) back—but the music associated with California beaches is top notch. Almost all of the songs on the Sand Rush playlist are from a very short period in time, roughly between 1961 and 1965 (not withstanding some obvious throwback songs from the 80’s, 90’s, and beyond), when the Southern California beach culture was on display everywhere, from music album covers to movies and magazine advertisements.

Six books to read this Pride Month [reading list]

By Lindsey Stangl

As Pride Month blossoms with vibrant parades and heartfelt celebrations, it’s the perfect time to reflect and honor the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ history and culture. Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding, celebrate diverse identities, or simply enjoy compelling stories, our carefully curated reading list offers something for everyone.

Find your perfect summer read [quiz]

By Calla Veazie

As the warm breeze of summer can be felt, it’s the perfect time to dive into a captivating read that will transport you to another place.