The Latest Breaking News on Books

Henry VIII is notorious for his willingness to lop off the heads of anyone who crossed him, including a string of former friends and intimates –even two of his wives. So you might think that, to keep your head on your shoulders at his court, you would need to have…

The writer’s alternative history – a thriller set in a 1920s US with a huge and thriving Native American population – underlines the range and power of his imagination

The classicist on autocrats ancient and modern, free speech in universities and whether Twitter has been a force for good

The assortment of conspiracists who blockaded parliament was laughably incoherent. Yet change is coming that could awaken dark forces, says the Irish author Fintan O’Toole

Learn new skills and be inspired by a raft of new gardening titles, reviewed by Hannah Stephenson.

Editorial: Progress has been made. But as the wounds of Brexit heal, literature has a key role to play in building a new entente cordiale

First edition masterpieces are up for grabs this week at an antiquarian book auction

Hyderabad Reads: Free-for-all book reading community encourages people to drop phones and return to books. 150 readers gather at KBR Park every Sat, 4.30-7pm, with books, snacks, mats. Entry fee ₹45. Curators Quadri & Barik provide literary oasis, 3K+ followers in 4 months.

Charlie Dupré’s Bruntwood prize longlisted play asks thoughtful questions about who gets to shape history, but lacks a level of intrigue and emotional depth to address them fully

Michael Peppiatt’s connection to the sculptor informs a fascinating life; Harriet Evans conjures a gripping tale of family and property; and Steve Stern weaves fact and fiction in a story of artistic youth

First published in 1988, the late crime writer’s final novel highlights her sly humour and vivid characterisation