Books

Could understanding contemporary Russian literature have given the west an insight into Putin’s intentions?

A new book, Madwoman, is a poignant tribute to America’s first female investigative journalist. Author Louisa Treger explains why her legacy is crucial now more than ever

The death of the travel writer Dervla Murphy marks the end of an era of great adventurers

Norway’s humane approach to rehabilitating prisoners is at odds with many Europe nations. And it is a remarkable success

A new auto-narration service turns any book into an audio version. And it’s terrible

To render any word unspeakable and un-writable is to impose totalitarian double-think rather than advance the cause of racial justice

When Teffi grew sceptical of the revolution, she headed for Paris, writing a masterpiece on the way

Across the world, democracy is in rapid retreat as populism, polarisation and post-truth have given the whip hand to a new breed of autocrat. The consequences are dramatic

The reluctance of men to explore the wealth of outstanding fiction by female writers is baffling

How the video social network has raised sales figures and revived forgotten titles

Comedy is regarded as the lowest form of writing. It should be considered among the highest

Even inside his own monogrammed funeral casket the writer of Don Quixote remains an enigma

The latest – and last? – novel by Michel Houellebecq, France’s most controversial writer, takes on politics

The works by great authors that were left on trains and buses... or accidentally smoked

The surprising European roots of stories like Beauty And The Beast reach back to the Bronze Age

Online events have kept us going during Covid, but nothing can replace the real thing

A former journalist’s debut novel explores our fascination with the partners of dictators

As Russian forces pound his country’s cities, towns and villages, Serhiy Zhadan’s The Orphanage offers a poignant portrayal of what such an onslaught feels like, and a reminder that Ukraine has been living with conflict for years

One of the best ways to understand the national psyche is to delve into its rich library of literature

Cal Flyn's win as The Sunday Times Young Writer of the year may have been helped by the fact that Flyn worked for the paper for five years and that her two books are published by HarperCollins - also owned by Rupert Murdoch

Even a cursory reading of the Russians would have explained to many in the West why Putin was going to invade Ukraine, says WILL SELF

Hannah Kent’s most ambitious historical novel yet is a queer love story about migration from claustrophobic convention

The most American of writers was a Europhile whose time in Paris produced a lost classic

A new project by Polish photographer Rafał Milach examines how populist politicians use walls as propaganda

When is the right time for a literary response to the Covid pandemic?

The author’s debut novel was born out of rage against the way mothers are expected to do it all. It’s about two characters battling pressure, trauma and grief. But, ultimately, it could be anyone’s story - and it is

From inhaling rotten apples to lying in an open coffin, the bizarre rituals of great writers

How the story of a plane full of doppelgängers became a literary sensation in France. By CHARLIE CONNELLY

Advice for authors is rarely as honest and valuable as in a posthumous book by a great Polish poet. By CHARLIE CONNELLY

Remembering Nellie Bly, the pioneering journalist who eclipsed Jules Verne’s hero. By CHARLIE CONNELLY

They shared a famous TV Brexit moment. When Mark Francois wrote a book, there was only one person who could review it...

Some inventions sounded, and even looked, brilliant, only to fall flat. But that isn’t always the end of the story for great ideas.