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Editors' picks

- Edmund White: a life in writing
  
  'From an early age I had the idea that writing was truth-telling. It's on the record. It should be totally transparent.' Interview by Emma Brockes
  
  Jack Holmes and His Friend by Edmund White – review
- Putting everything into writing
  
  AL Kennedy: Complete commitment, down to the last comma, is the only way for me to make writing work. Which isn't good news for everything else
- Birthday plans
  
  Gil Scott-Heron writes about touring with Stevie Wonder to establish Martin Luther King Day as a national holiday in the US
- Few things are more parochial than the Great American Novel
  Benulek
  commenting on The Art of Fielding: baseball, growing up and the great American novel
- Achebe leads authors' fuel subsidy protest
  
  News: Acclaimed author joins 35 other writers from Nigeria supporting revolt against cuts to funding for fuel costs
- Science fiction: now and tomorrow
  
  Podcast: Novelists Alastair Reynolds, Lauren Beukes, Michael Moorcock and Jeff Noon talk about the state of SF
  - Eric Brown reviews the latest SF releases
- Literary events in 2012
  
  Literary calendar: More Dickens and even more Shakespeare, but also new novels from Toni Morrison, Hilary Mantel, Zadie Smith, plus exciting new voices
- Dickens de-sexed by the BBC
  
  Howard Jacobson asks, if Dickens gets up your nose, why don't you simply leave him alone
  - Charles Dickens walking tour
- This is a lovely series but I can't help thinking a somewhat rose-tinted view of such a prodigiously randy goat as Picasso
  DanHolloway
  commenting on Book dedications: The World of Picasso, from Gayle
- Poem of the week
  
  They Are All Gone into the World of Light! by Henry Vaughan: This time, a very tangible kind of Metaphysical poet
- Windows on the world: Elmore Leonard
  
  In the last of our series, Matteo Pericoli illustrates the view from Elmore Leonard's Detroit study
  - More Windows on the World
- A Short History of Western Thought by Stephen Trombley
  
  Review: Julian Baggini is impressed with this packed survey of 2,500 years of western philosophy
- The Doors by Greil Marcus
  
  Review: Richard Williams went off the Doors 45 years ago. Can a new biography relight his fire?
- Pity the Billionaire by Thomas Frank
  
  Review: Nick Cohen Why have US conservatives, monopolised political fury since the banks went down?
  - Read an extract from Pity the Billionaire
- All Is Song by Samantha Harvey
  
  Review: Carol Birch admires Samantha Harvey's subtle investigation
- Married Love by Tessa Hadley
  
  Review: Edmund Gordon on a subtly subversive talent
- Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
  
  Reader review: Stpauli is impressed by an account of depression as seen through the eyes of a giant talking dog

Latest news

Roald Dahl stamps – in pictures

9 Jan 2012: Gallery (10 pictures)
A new set of Royal Mail stamps celebrating the work of the children's author are available from Tuesday
Labyrinth gets graphic novel prequel

9 Jan 2012: Illustrator Brian Froud, who worked on the cult children's fantasy film, will oversee character design
Harry Potter director Chris Columbus to write children's fantasy books

9 Jan 2012:
House of Secrets, co-written with Ned Vizzini, will be out in spring 2013

More books news

Regular series

AL Kennedy on writing 13hr 1min ago

Putting everything into writing

AL Kennedy: Complete commitment, down to the last comma, is the only way for me to make writing work. Which isn't good news for everything else in my life
Carol Rumens's poem of the week 15hr 43min ago

Poem of the week: They Are All Gone into the World of Light! by Henry Vaughan

This time, a very tangible kind of Metaphysical poet
Robert McCrum on books 2 days ago

Traditional books, dressed to kill…

Robert McCrum: Luxury craftsmanship and an eye for aesthetics are giving hardbacks an edge in their battle with ebooks
More books series

Latest blogposts

Books blog

Science fiction for children: what would you recommend?

9 Jan 2012:
A discussion underneath last week's SF podcast threw up the question of which SF books you'd press into the hands of younger readers
Books blog

Slavoj Žižek's jokes are no laughing matter

6 Jan 2012:
Lindesay Irvine: His ascent to cultural superstardom has been fuelled by his comic talent, but jokes are a serious business for Slavoj Žižek
Books blog

The illuminations of reading by candlelight

6 Jan 2012: Stuart Kelly: Reading without electricity in a recent power cut actually turned out to add some juice to reading

Talking points

- The Guardian books podcast: Science fiction now and tomorrow
  
  Novelists Alastair Reynolds, Lauren Beukes, Michael Moorcock and Jeff Noon talk about the state of SF

To me, Tolkien's slow, unhurried writing style with plentiful detail was always part of the appeal. It's like a beautiful slow-flowing river sparkling in the sun, majestic and saga-like
012345678
commenting on JRR Tolkien's Nobel prize chances dashed by 'poor prose'

- Tips, links and suggestions: Tell us what you would like to us to cover
  
  Tell us the books, authors and subjects we should cover – and that you'd like to discuss

This week's Guardian and Observer reviews

All Is Song by Samantha Harvey

Carol Birch is impressed by Samantha Harvey's subtle investigation
The Doors by Greil Marcus

Richard Williams went off the Doors 45 years ago. Can a new biography relight his fire?
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria by Noo Saro-Wiwa

Adewale Maja-Pearce on a journey from Roedean to a place of poverty
Alfred Jarry: A Pataphysical Life by Alastair Brotchie

Michael Moorcock on one of the most influential writers of modern times
Humiliation by Wayne Koestenbaum

Brian Dillon on the ways of being and feeling humiliated
Out of It by Selma Dabbagh

Robin Yassin-Kassab admires a vibrant debut about life in Gaza
Grace by Esther Morgan

Ben Wilkinson enjoys a poignant collection about everyday lives
John Bright: Statesman, Orator, Agitator by Bill Cash

Tristram Hunt on the biography of a radical by a Eurosceptic
Green Philosophy by Roger Scruton

Can Roger Scruton save the environment? By Jonathan Rée
The Real Mrs Beeton by Sheila Hardy

Kathryn Hughes on a much-championed but unknowable cookery pioneer
Married Love by Tessa Hadley

Tessa Hadley compresses a novel's-worth of detail into each short story. By Alfred Hickling
The Death of King Arthur by Simon Armitage

Sean O'Brien admires a boisterous translation of a bloodthirsty epic
Van Gogh: The Life by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith

William Feaver on a biography that tells a new story about the artist's famous death
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Galen Strawson on an outstandingly clear study of how we function

Latest reader reviews

The Big 'M' in 4: A Tale of Blood, Sweat, Toil and Tears

Reviewed by Papi72
Prayer for the Dying
by Elizabeth Revill

Reviewed by babysnooks
Killing Me Softly
by Elizabeth Revill

Reviewed by babysnooks
Whispers On The Wind
by Elizabeth Revill

Reviewed by babysnooks
Land of the Awoken
by Ben Fielder

Reviewed by babysnooks
Mr Chartwell
by Rebecca Hunt

Reviewed by stpauli
Life and Fate
by Vasily Grossman

Reviewed by RabBurnout
Maximum Security: Bk. 3
by Robert Muchamore

Reviewed by blackjack777
Cheers: The Hidden Voices of Alcoholism
by Renate van Nijen

Reviewed by Astoic
Pariah
by David Jackson

Reviewed by Readaholic
Dr. Yes
by Bateman

Reviewed by Readaholic
Random
by Craig Robertson

Reviewed by Readaholic
Class A: Bk. 2
by Robert Muchamore

Reviewed by blackjack777
The Prague Cemetery
by Umberto Eco (author) and Richard Dixon (translator)

Reviewed by Jungarri
The Recruit
by Robert Muchamore

Reviewed by blackjack777
The Secrets of Pain
by Phil Rickman

Reviewed by stpauli
The Scar
by China Mieville

Reviewed by stpauli
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance
by Edmund De Waal

Reviewed by Parisa
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance
by Edmund De Waal

Reviewed by bilberry
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens (author) and Michael Slater (introduction by)

Reviewed by bilberry
Arabella Parker and the Primrose School Revolt
by Ray Murray

Reviewed by Daveelcot
You Can't Say That: Memoirs
by Ken Livingstone

Reviewed by gilltyson
Creatures of the Earth: New and Selected Stories
by John McGahern

Reviewed by julian6
Feeding My Children
by Gloria Alcozer Thomas

Reviewed by MarinaMar
Microstyle: The Art of Writing Little
by Christopher Johnson

Reviewed by hamblin01
Get a Grip on Philosophy
by Neil Turnbull

Reviewed by julian6
Before I Die
by Jenny Downham

Reviewed by MizzDaisyDee
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood

Reviewed by drashrafzidan
Little Gypsy: A Life of Freedom, a Time of Secrets
by Roxy Freeman

Reviewed by LucianneThomas
We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals
by Gillian Gill

Reviewed by bales2017574
Charles Dickens
by Lucinda Dickens Hawksley

Reviewed by McPete
The Real Mrs Beeton: The Story of Eliza Acton
by Sheila Hardy

Reviewed by Vishweshwer
Stirbugs & Screws
by Arnold James Isbister

Reviewed by KarenTut
Strictly Liable
by Tony Bayliss

Reviewed by tinyworlds
I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan
by Alan Partridge

Reviewed by yewcol
A Turnkey or Not?: The Autobiography of Tony Levy
by Tony Levy

Reviewed by alfredhotspur
The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and
by Alanna Nash

Reviewed by JeffSchrembs
A Heart So White
by Javier Marias

Reviewed by julian6
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters
by President Barack Obama (author) and Loren Long (illustrator)

Reviewed by safiullahrifai
Notwithstanding: Stories from an English Village
by Louis De Bernieres

Reviewed by aswinjose

See all reader reviews

Latest video

The Week in TV: Sherlock, Treasure Island and Endeavour - video

It's the start of a new year and Andrew Collins is back from his break and raring to go. This week it's three big dramas from three big channels

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