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Marriott's Dark Ages: A Polemic on Reading That Fails to Explain Its Own Magic

James Marriott's debut polemic defends reading against smartphone culture but undermines its own thesis through contradictions about inequality and fails to explain what makes literature truly valuable.

6 min read

Redwood: Ben Macintyre's Cold War Spy Thriller Explores Soviet Defection in Revolutionary Iran

Ben Macintyre's Redwood examines the extraordinary relationship between a disillusioned Soviet spy and his British handler in revolutionary Iran, blending intimate human drama with Cold War geopolitics.

5 min read

Scaramucci's Reckoning: A Former Trump Insider Confronts America's Policy Failures

Anthony Scaramucci's memoir examines three policy failures he believes created conditions for Trump's rise, but his late-arriving wisdom about China, war spending, and bank bailouts rings hollow from someone who ignored these warnings when they mattered most.

5 min read

100 greatest English-language novels ranked by global literary experts

A global panel of authors, critics and academics have voted on the 100 greatest novels ever published in English. The list spans from foundational works to contemporary masterpieces, reflecting how literary excellence is evaluated across generations and cultures.

3 min read

Earl Spencer's Diana memoir stirs royal controversy as book climbs bestseller charts

Earl Spencer's Diana memoir climbs bestseller charts amid a six-day row with Buckingham Palace over his claims about King Charles. The book portrays Diana as a woman of compassion haunted by self-doubt, starved of royal family warmth, and destroyed by media pursuit.

7 min read

Seven decades of letters: Scottish woman and American pen pal now feel like sisters

Two women who became pen pals in 1956 as members of the Brownies have maintained their friendship for 70 years, describing themselves as more like sisters. Kathleen from Glasgow and Shirley from Wisconsin have met three times and continue to stay in touch via WhatsApp.

9 min read

Readers on Tracking Apps, Weather Forecasts, Ancient Architecture and Wordy Phrases

Readers write about tracking apps that go unused, choosing weather forecasts based on preference, ancient Greek drainage solutions, and the overuse of redundant phrases in everyday language.

3 min read

1894 Magazine Returned to New Hampshire Library After 132 Years

An 84-year-old man returned a copy of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine from September 1894 to Concord Public Library, more than 130 years after it was checked out. The discovery was made possible by the library's fine amnesty program.

4 min read

Bookshop owner documents Galloway's forgotten gravestone stories

Wigtown bookshop owner Bre Martin has spent years documenting gravestone inscriptions and researching the lives of those buried in Galloway's kirkyards. His findings, compiled in a new book, reveal remarkable stories from centuries past.

4 min read

Books borrowed in 1910 returned 116 years later in pristine condition

Peter O'Sullivan returned his grandfather's library books to Llanrwst Library in Wales after 116 years, settling a debt that would have cost hundreds of pounds in overdue fees. The volumes, borrowed in 1910, were discovered among his grandfather's possessions and remain in excellent condition.

4 min read

Celebrating Bitterness: Alexina Anatole's Tahini Panzanella and Curried Corn Farinata

Chef Alexina Anatole shares two recipes that celebrate bitterness as a refreshing, balancing force in cooking. A tahini panzanella and curried corn farinata with grapefruit dipping sauce demonstrate how thoughtfully deployed bitter ingredients elevate everyday dishes.

7 min read

'She opened my eyes to the real world': How Gloria Steinem inspired generations

Readers share memories of Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist activist who died aged 92, recalling how she inspired generations to challenge sexism, pursue their ambitions, and fight for women's equality across multiple fronts.

8 min read