Books
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Forget the blond California stereotypes. New book Afrosurf captures Africa’s overlooked surf culture – and celebrates its heroes, who’d ride colossal waves at beaches they were often banned from -
An intimate portrait of the public intellectual by a former student underlines Said’s mastery of several fields and, 20 years after his death, his contemporary relevance
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From small-town America to ancient Rome, there’s plenty of dark drama in this month’s pick of crime fiction -
Out in September in the UK and the US, the creator of I May Destroy You is set to write ‘a rousing and bold case against fitting in’ -
Part showy display of literary style, part grumpy personal letter, this is a rich celebration of the power of writing
What to read
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April is a bumper month for new books. Here are some of the best, including Hilary Mantel’s final Cromwell novel, last year’s Booker winner, a big-tech dystopia and more -
Robert McCrum has reached a verdict on his selection of the 100 greatest novels written in English. Take a look at his list -
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The former Conservative minister spews out the vitriol in his diaries, but lacks the self-awareness and wit to write a great political memoir -
John Sutherland makes a brave attempt to rescue the reputation of Larkin’s longstanding lover and muse -
In this absorbing memoir-cum-history of the rift between Judaism and Christianity, the former canon of St Paul’s reveals how exploring his Jewish roots saved him from depression
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This fictionalised account of the Egyptian uprising of 2011 has an eye for telling detail in the choice between struggle and self-preservation -
Based on real events, this tale of the OED’s compilation explores how words take on different meanings for men and women -
The Khan by Saima Mir; Tall Bones by Anna Bailey; Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner; The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn; and Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka
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In this coming-of-age story set in a near-future England, a teenager discovers life’s possibilities as climate chaos intensifies -
Power is celebrated for his short stories, and his debut novel, about creative theft and Russian intrigue, is full of fine writing
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'Maria Stepanova is a powerhouse' War of the Beasts and the Animals, and In Memory of Memory reviews
The Russian poet’s eloquent writing is caught between a pursuit of the past and the meaninglessness of memorialising
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Timeless books by authors such as Beverly Cleary bring far more joy than those that give a knowing wink to parents, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes -
The dangerous beauty of sharks, sisters in 18th-century England, the biology of the brain and more - plus the best new YA novels -
Run simultaneously with the Kate Greenaway medal for illustration, judges say this year’s finalists should inspire and empower their young readers
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The author of the bestselling Southern Reach trilogy talks about taking notes on leaves, the adaptation of Annihilation and his new ecological thriller -
The Mancunian author on becoming a victim of a race-hate crime, walking the Pennine Way – and the memoir that followed -
The writer and podcaster talks about his private school days, and why a system that prides itself on creating leaders is selling Britain short. Plus, an extract from his memoir
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More than 15 years in the writing, Ross’ new novel This One Sky Day is a glorious achievement. So why did it take so long? -
The award-winning author on her debut novel, about a Malaysian family’s dark secrets, and her other life teaching robotics -
When the graphic novelist met an unusually chatty nine-year-old, he was so struck by her talk that he began putting it into cartoons, which have been a hit in France
Regulars
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The author and critic on ‘total bore’ Saul Bellow, how Nietzsche changed his mind, and laughing and crying over Jean Rhys -
Part showy display of literary style, part grumpy personal letter, this is a rich celebration of the power of writing
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From Alexandre Dumas to Ian McEwan, writers serve up a dish that’s best prepared only in imagination
You may have missed
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He believed orgasms could be a healing force and coined the term ‘sexual revolution’. Reich’s understanding of the body is vital in our age of protests and patriarchy, writes Olivia Laing -
Alexandra Wilson made headlines when she was mistaken for a defendant three times in one day. But she remains determined to tackle racism in the courts -
Dizzy diplomats, twitching schoolgirls, children in comas ... psychosomatic illnesses are not always as unexplainable as they seem, writes neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan -
First published in the 70s, Marian Engel’s novel about a lonely librarian’s relationship with a bear interrogates boundaries between men and women, humans and animals
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Terry Pratchett’s debut turns 50 At 17 he showed promise of a brilliant mind