Professor Ian Glenn is fascinating. An overused word meaning enchanting, charming and captivating, fascinating describes him accurately.

He fetches me from my holiday cottage, and by the end of our five-minute drive to Constantia Village in Cape Town, I’ve heard three anecdotes, have laughed, bonded, been delighted, and we are both animated.

The interview goes awry as we talk of people we know, tell stories about journalists, delve into politics, morality, philosophy, in Paris.