Six of the Best 379

Richard Kemp looks at the problems of being a young councillor - and of being Jake Morrison in particular.

As Armenia moves closer to the EU, Russia is taking advantage of the country’s economic and geopolitical vulnerabilities to maintain its influence says Hayk Hovhannisyan on LSE EUROPP.

Freaky Trigger looks at some of the wonderful books of the disgraced children's writer William Mayne.

"There's a telling scene in one of Graeme Swann's entertaining video diaries from the 2010-11 Ashes tour when on Christmas Day the single members of the side sit around a table for their festive turkey. Swann's wife isn't present so he's forced to slum it with the singletons. “Tell us a joke, Monty!” he implores, a response met with a mumbled, embarrassed excuse by Panesar that he doesn't know any." Pavilion Opinions on the travails of Monty Panesar.

You can find some paintings of the London Docks 1939-45 on Isle of Dogs Life.

Elsewhere in London, Richly Evocative visits Islington's unexpected Eden.