Author
John Phipps
7 articles
John Phipps is a reporter and critic based in London and a fiction editor at the Fence. His work appears in 1843, the FT and GQ, and has been shortlisted for the Orwell Prize.
Articles
Moscow-on-the-Heath
Since the end of World War Two, the Russian Trade Delegation in Highgate has befuddled locals and enraged successive British governments. What’s really going on inside the compound’s walls?
21 August 2025
Life of Reilly
In the heart of Drogheda lives an Irish man on a peculiar crusade. We meet Tom Reilly, a historian hellbent on clearing the name of Oliver Cromwell.
9 August 2024
A Series of Unfortunate Names
George Hitler declined to speak to the writer.
5 May 2021
Three Extracts from ‘Inside Story: How To Write’
In a world exclusive, The Fence is delighted to publish three extracts from Martin Amis’ newest novel.
15 September 2020
Samuel Pepys’ Plague Diaries
A famous diarist struggles through the coronavirus.
25 May 2020
The Busiest Man in Journalism
A Zoom call with the New York Times’ New York Times correspondent, David Gallipoli-Jones.
23 May 2020
The Diary of Samuel Pepys, iPhone Addict
Thence I to my office, and all afternoon opening and closing the Guardian homepage.
24 February 2020