Books
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Could a bespoke book subscription service break you out of your reading rut or encourage you to explore new genres? -
A famous narrative turned on its head – how the conquistadors, not the Aztecs, were driven by bloodlust -
The follow-up to Dept. of Speculation is a dazzling response to climate crisis and political anxiety
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Cash-strapped aristocrats inhabit a world of vulgar greed and tasteful snobbery in this escapist satire -
The 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness have developed into a medical condition
Books of 2020
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Sally Rooney’s screenplay, Hilary Mantel’s final Thomas Cromwell novel … there's a lot to look forward to in 2020
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In a penetrating and entertaining memoir, the Guardian’s former intelligence reporter exposes the folly of excessive state secrecy -
John Bercow was a reforming Speaker, but is often blind to his own flaws in this verbose and wrathful memoir -
What lurks beneath? Swimming and sinister stories in a thrilling ancestral quest to Lakes Ohrid and Prespa
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A restless librarian is an insightful narrator of the climate crisis and political upheaval in the US -
These sprightly tales by a rediscovered star of the Harlem Renaissance tackle race and love gone bad -
The warmth and empathy of Keyes’s writing shine through this tale of family secrets revealed
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This ingenious debut novel is a philosophical investigation into love, loss and the nature of reality -
In a series of anonymous hotel rooms, a woman reflects on romantic loss and the instability of identity, in the latest novel from the Girl Is a Half-formed Thing author -
A novel about a killer targeting sex workers amid America’s opioid crisis offers a memorable portrait of devastation
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This week, the creator of the biggest child villain in literature talks about comedy writing and seeing his creation adapted by Disney -
The follow-up to high-school whodunnit One of Us Is Lying plays a dangerous game of truth or dare -
At 92, Shirley Hughes has written a Christmas sequel to her enduring tale of a lost toy. Her son, who is the real Dogger’s owner, tells all…
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What happens when we wake up to the climate crisis? The novelist reflects on escaping the apocalypse, division and hope in her latest novel, Weather -
The author of viral sensation ‘dear white America’ is back with a deeply personal collection -
With Glass Town, the former Observer graphic short story prize winner explores the sisters’ fictional childhood landscape
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The Korean author, who has been accused of being ‘un-Korean’, talks about the concept of home and being translated into English for the first time -
Every January we talk to the writers of 10 exceptional first novels. Will we be on the money again this year? -
The musician on rereading her teenage diaries and why she’s now a fervent fan of Jack Reacher
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Georges Simenon’s remarkable novel manages to make its loathsome protagonist compelling company -
Alive with thought-in-action, these verses sing a new kind of love song -
Your space to discuss the books you are reading and what you think of them
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From Jane Austen to medical memoirs, books that will help leave thoughts of the office behind
What to read
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Dazzling debut novels, searing polemics, the history of humanity and trailblazing memoirs ... Read our pick of the best books since 2000 -
The novelist on her love of telling stories, early reading trauma and laughing out loud mid-air
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As the coronavirus has spread to four continents, Laura Spnney chooses scientific studies, memoirs and novels about Aids, TB, polio and Spanish flu -
As the climate crisis grows ever clearer, the best fiction can help realign our conception of nature
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After two years of careful consideration, Robert McCrum has concluded his selection of the 100 greatest nonfiction books of all time. Take a quick look back at five centuries of great writing -
Robert McCrum has reached a verdict on his selection of the 100 greatest novels written in English. Take a look at his list
You may have missed
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This week the novelist received the Olof Palme prize for achievement in the spirit of the assassinated Swedish statesman. He reflects on how a lack of leadership today has allowed us to ‘sleepwalk’ into Brexit -
As the House of Commons descended into Brexit chaos, its Speaker became a global star. In this exclusive extract from his memoir, Unspeakable, Bercow recalls memorable moments and notable characters -
From Sally Rooney and Ottessa Moshfegh to the author of this year’s hit debut, Kiley Reid, a new generation of novelists is turning the marriage plot on its head -
Son of JRR Tolkien who edited much of his father’s posthumously published work including The Silmarillion
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