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Len Deighton (born 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels. He had several jobs before writing his first novel, The IPCRESS File, in 1962; it was a critical and commercial success. He wrote several spy novels featuring the same central character, an unnamed working-class intelligence officer. Between 1962 and 1966, Deighton was the food correspondent for The Observer and drew cookstrips – black-and-white graphic recipes with a limited number of words. A selection of these was collected and published in 1965 as Len Deighton's Action Cook Book, the first of five cookery books he wrote. Other topics of non-fiction include military history. Many of his books have been best-sellers and he has been favourably compared with John le Carré. Deighton's fictional work is marked by a complex narrative structure, extensive research and an air of verisimilitude. Several of his works have been adapted for film and radio. (Full article...)
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December 11

Old Well at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Dusky grasswren

The dusky grasswren (Amytornis purnelli) is a species of small passerine bird in the family Maluridae. The species is endemic to Australia, in which it is limited to inland areas of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. The dusky grasswren inhabits rocky ranges and outcrops, often preferring tumbled talus or scree, and with areas of thick, long-unburnt spinifex grasses in the genus Triodia. In the wild, it has been observed feeding on a range of small arthropods and other invertebrates as well as seeds. The vocal repertoire of the dusky grasswren is varied and includes trills, high-pitched whistles, rapid twittering, and high-speed warbling. This dusky grasswren was photographed in Ormiston Pound in the Northern Territory.

Photograph credit: John Harrison

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