The reign of Elizabeth I was the first time that Muslims began openly living in England. It stemmed from the queen’s isolation from Catholic Europe and her excommunication by Pope Pius V in 1570. Attitudes towards Islam then have parallels for us today, writes Josephine Fenton.

I’M just back from Achill, a wet windy outpost of mountains and cliffs, where it gets dark later than anywhere else in Europe.

Franklin, Tragic Hero of Polar Navigation, by Andrew Lambert, Faber and Faber, £20.

Most people nowadays have more material possessions than they need and it’s almost impossible to select suitable Christmas presents for them. One option is to give books, so here are a few suggestions.