More from Books
Motherless friends: Kin, by Tayari Jones, reviewed
In the Jim Crow American south, two girls are left to make their own way in life, one more successfully than the other
Singing of arms and the man: Son of Nobody, by Yann Martel, reviewed
Fragments emerge of an epic poem describing the Trojan War from the viewpoint of an ordinary soldier, in it for the loot
Landscapes of longing in illuminated Books of Hours
Recalling his lonely childhood in New Zealand, Christopher de Hamel describes how his enduring love of medieval manuscripts took root
Defiantly creative to the end: the transgressive Dorothea Tanning
Born in Illinois in 1910 in the middle of a hurricane, the experimental Surrealist became the model of the fiercely independent artist
How the paralysed Franz Rosenzweig continued to translate the Bible
After being struck down by a neurodegenerative disease at the age of 36, the inspirational scholar pursued his biblical project with the twitch of one thumb
Self-betterment through contemplation of the Seven Deadly Sins
Medieval minds wrestled with Sloth especially, and the debilitating ‘acedia’ we would call depression, for which one cure was to ‘find yourself a strong mountain’
Rebarbative relatives abound: The Palm House, by Gwendoline Riley, reviewed
Even Riley’s most exasperating characters seem desperate for a quiet sanctum of their own
The harm of dwelling on a traumatic past
The important thing is to navigate life in such a way that you are not consumed by painful memories, says the psychiatrist Gwen Adshead
Is private equity secretly running your life?
Hettie O’Brien delivers a broadside against the elusive financial force that owns almost 10 per cent of the UK economy
Living in the shadow of Etna
The myriad businesses thriving in the volcano’s rich soil and varying microclimates can be destroyed in a matter of minutes, as Helena Attlee reminds us
Why the General Strike of 1926 could never succeed
Most Britons were content with their lot and could not be mobilised to revolution, while divisions in the TUC itself betrayed a lack of commitment to the cause
Expect toddlers and parlour games at today’s dinner parties
The cost of babysitters can make accepting dinner invitations very expensive, so a host should ensure that friends feel free to bring their children too, says Jago Rackham
Who wants to bring back the Neanderthals?
The wholesale ‘de-extinction’ of vanished human species is one of many ethically dicey possibilities in the not-too-distant future, says Adrian Woolfson
Tradecraft secrets: a choice of crime fiction
Spy thrillers from James Wolff and Alex Preston reviewed. Plus: a third Rilke novel from Louise Welsh and a rediscovered classic from Duff Cooper
The dilemmas and difficulties of artists through the ages
In his analysis of 20 masterpieces from prehistory to the present, Lachlan Goudie proves a born guide to the creative process
Looking back in anguish: Good Good Loving, by Yvvette Edwards, reviewed
Close to death, Ellen recalls her 49-year marriage to philandering Clyde and wonders what she’s done to deserve her children’s censure
With no coherent strategy, Britain seems perpetually adrift in the world
But rather than stagger from one global crisis to another, we could unite the disparate tools we still possess and truly take back control, says Jack Watling
Tales of quiet intensity: The News from Dublin, by Colm Toibin, reviewed
Familiar themes emerge in this third collection of short stories, such as neglect, bereavement and the Irish diaspora in the US
Two Tokyo misfits: Hooked, by Asako Yuzuki, reviewed
Eriko and Shoko, both lonely 30-year-olds, have difficulty conforming to the intricate social rules ‘ensnaring’ Japanese women
James Baldwin – dogged by painful uncertainties throughout life
Often snared in emotional turmoil, he never knew who his father was, and resisted being pigeonholed on questions of race, blame and responsibility
The misery of working with Chuck Berry
The ‘father of rock and roll’ was cantankerous, deceitful and sly – and partnering him on stage left Keith Richards almost catatonic with stress
The mystery of what makes us special remains unsolved
After spending six years investigating where consciousness comes from, Michael Pollan finds no overarching explanation
Dark family secrets: Repetition, by Vigdis Hjorth, reviewed
With a haunting crime at its heart, this bitter, brief novel leaves one wondering uncomfortably whether it might be a memoir in disguise
The ‘ecocide’ that is Canada’s shame
British Columbia’s most ancient trees continue to be ruthlessly felled, despite ecologists’ warnings of the effect on global climate
No Hungarian rhapsody: Lázár, by Nelio Biedermann, reviewed
A dark forest swallows up successive generations of an entitled Hungarian family in a story imbued with symbolism that spans two world wars
