A tough break

Academics not taking holidays? Well, like the class struggle, the fight for academic preferment never ceases nowadays. But I suspect that what academics call a holiday is not what is recognised by all as such. Drinking wine in Tuscany is one thing, but as a regular reader in the British Library reading rooms it is always noticeable how the place fills up with academics at this time of year.

Admittedly most are asleep, in time-honoured reading-room fashion, but I put that down to the pressures of the research assessment exercise.

Keith Flett London