Duelling

Duelling began with swords but soon progressed to pistols, increasing the number of deaths from the sport -- but was it really worth dying for your honour? James Landale is the descendent of a dueller, and in tracking the story of his ancestor, he also followed the origins of the duel. He discusses the legal niceties, the rules of the duel and keeping your honour intact. Duel is published by Canongate. Also taking part in the round-table discussion are writer and broadcaster Isabel Hilton, who discusses how a powerful China could challenge the West's fundamental values; Sir Mike Tomllinson, the UK's former Chief Inspector of Schools, who explains why he believes A Level exams fail the British, why head teachers should be paid more money to teach at failing schools, and why the Blair Government has not taken him up on the suggestion to replace the exam system with one overarching diploma; and Anna Pavord, who wrote the worldwide bestseller The Tulip and now has written The Naming of Names, published by Bloomsbury, about the men who attempted to find the rules of nature -- naming plants, ordering them and finding a method to the seemingly chaotic natural world.