English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes (famous for the phrase “In the state of nature, the life of man would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”) believed that people only had the right to rebel against a government when that government threatened them with death. This has generally, and wrongly, been interpreted as Hobbes supporting […]
While many in the West are fearing that Putin’s end game is the reoccupation of the entire Warsaw Pact with his cross-hairs focusing on the Baltic countries and Poland right this moment – there are pragmatic reasons why this won’t happen in the near future. Putin has conceived of a Eurasian Economic Union to act […]
Putin’s announcement of a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine which was followed by a full out invasion featuring an attempted blitzkrieg of key strategic locations including the country’s capital, Kyiv seemed like an astonishing decision. The continuation of the conflict despite severe casualties and severe economic sanctions, along with Putin’s threats that are direct allusions […]
New Zealand author Peter D Campbell has always believed that the truth makes the best fiction. In his latest novella, Stepping into the Unknown, the Christchurch based journalist delves into the little known world of private security contracting in the Indonesian archipelago. “The novella is based on the experiences of Brad Shaw, a former Royal […]
People who speak a single language perceive fluency as an ideal. It encompasses a concept of being able to speak freely, without pauses to think of vocabulary and grammar. A fluent speaker has mastered the language. To the language professional though, fluency is a slippery slope. Someone with conversational fluency may be able to talk […]
For many people trying to learn a foreign language speaking without an accent is the holy grail. The common perception is that unless you begin learning a language as a child you can never hope to learn to speak without an accent. While many find learning to speak without an accent (or with a minimal […]
By Anastasiya Ilyasova. Good evening Peter. You have recently published your first novel In My Brother’s Shadow, when did you decide that you wanted to be a writer? I remember the moment I decided to become an author very clearly. I was fourteen at the time and had been extremely ill. Books had become my […]
For many Russia is an enigma, but for author, translator Peter D Campbell, understanding Russia became a challenge he wanted to crack. The 31 year old Australian-New Zealand journalist has spent over five years living in Russia – first visiting Russia when he was 19 years old back in 2002. The author has recently published […]
“For the first time in years a true example of Literature! Campbell should be forever proud of this work, a rose among dandelions. This novel should be read and taught in colleges all over the world.” – Amazon Reviewer. In My Brother’s Shadow is an absorbing and skilful story, exploring the attitudes of a younger […]