Books
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We would love to hear which books you enjoyed the most this year
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The American writer suffers mockery and swallows chef ‘philosophy’ as he sets out to master high-craft cooking in Lyon -
Historical novel depicting the death of Shakespeare’s son from plague has already won this year’s Women’s prize for fiction
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A gifted writer blessed with impeccable connections, he has nonetheless remained in the shadows, eclipsed by accidents and grander egos
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A Chicago cop causes ripples in a remote Irish village, and darkness descends on Dartmoor
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Beaumont draws on multiple literary sources in his paean to the joys of thinking while pounding the city streets -
In reflections written during lockdown, the pontiff adds his weight to a growing group of people seeking a return to community-minded values
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The Australian-American writer’s short fiction is full of precisely observed studies of thwarted connection -
Dedicated to her partner, Atwood’s first poetry collection in more than 10 years is wry and entertaining -
This overwhelming novel by ‘Iraq’s Irvine Welsh’ captures the alienation of people exiled by conflict
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An international taskforce tackles global heating in this chilling yet hopeful vision of how the next few decades might unfold -
The Searcher by Tana French; These Women by Ivy Pochoda; The Butcher of Berner Street by Alex Reeve; The Package by Sebastian Fitzek; One By One by Ruth Ware -
The Norwegian musician rebels against blandness and convention in a novel that veers from melodramatic teenscape to social panorama
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America’s ambassador for young people’s literature talks about touring Trump country, facing down racism and why there’s no such thing as a bad kid -
History and the mysteries of the human heart take centre stage in this month’s best tales -
The last white rhino, a stolen inheritance, terrifying sea journeys and some ballet dancing bunnies me....
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The ghostwriter behind the memoirs of Keith Richards and David Bailey on difficult subjects -
The writer-star has had a baby, lost a close friend and published a memoir in lockdown. She talks about the trouble with male comedy writers – and why she wants to make a sketch show all about the clitoris
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The outspoken artist talks about his new book arriving in an ‘absolutely weird’ year and why Trump remains ‘the worst person in our known history’
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The author of Shuggie Bain talks about growing up in Glasgow in the 80s, the dangers of ‘poverty safari’ and what he’ll do now he has won the prestigious literary prize -
The feminist writer on racism in her London childhood, her new book about female slaves, and the part Ghana played in shaping her identity -
JR is a 700-page satire of capitalism featuring 120 characters who speak in unattributed quotes. It has been called ‘unreadable’. Nick Sullivan, who narrated the new audiobook, reveals how it engulfed his life
What to read
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Robert McCrum has reached a verdict on his selection of the 100 greatest novels written in English. Take a look at his list -
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 -
Regulars
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The author and cook on a life-changing book by Marilynne Robinson, the snobbery surrounding commercial success, and the food writer she hugely admires -
Fragile but precious memories haunt this resonant sonnet
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From Thomas Hardy to Kristen Roupenian, literature offers a changing map of the treacherous terrain of sexual relationships
You may have missed
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Lying, paranoia and conspiracy are defining features of a totalitarian society. What hope is there for a brand new era, in the aftermath of an administration that has relied on all three? -
‘The dictator’, ‘this man’, ‘the president’ – over the last four years, authors have gone out of their way to avoid Trump’s name. But why?
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An alertness to racial injustice, a weaponised word in the culture wars, a reflection of our times ... Kenya Hunt explores how the world woke up -
When Fariha Róisín started writing Like a Bird, she thought the traumatic event at its heart was just a dream. She explores the weight of a family secret
Most viewed
Book of the day The Arrest by Jonathan Lethem – a retrofuturistic ride