23 JANUARY 1982, page 19

Heroine-worship

Anthony Storr S hnone de Beauvoir: A Life of Freedom , "' a ro' Ascher (Harvester, pp. 254, £9.95) intone de Beauvoir has written about herself so well and at such length that......

Celestial Salem

A. N. Wilson R eligion does funny things to the mind. When you think of the ceaseless misery caused to the human race by the very ex- istence of Jerusalem, it seems odd that......

Mother Church

Allan Maclean rr he Victorians found great pleasure in I the Cathedrals of England. Some ecclesiastics questioned their use, but most valued their tradition, and the public saw......