An international study of how human history has reshaped the planet, and vice versa
‘Want’, an anthology of sexual fantasies collected by Gillian Anderson, and Helen King’s scholarly ‘Immaculate Forms’ continue the boom of sex-positive books by female writers
Women’s bodies and Gillian Anderson’s anthology of fantasies; Serhii Plokhy on how Putin’s invasion came to Chernobyl; Craig Brown’s funny but circuitous life of Queen Elizabeth II; Oliver Burkeman on the pressure for self-improvement; new books from Will Self and Garth Greenwell that blur the boundaries between life and fiction; a history of ancient India’s cultural conquests — plus Nilanjana Roy on Elsa Morante and Barry Forshaw’s pick of crime titles
In his follow-up to the bestselling ‘Four Thousand Weeks’, the writer aims to unshackle us from the never-ending dream of life improvement
Two charming memoirs celebrate the simple appeal of the potter’s wheel and the lathe
A brilliantly funny and well researched biography of Elizabeth II has to contend with its uniquely inscrutable subject
The gripping account of the Ukrainian plant workers who saved the world from another nuclear disaster
An outstanding history of the trade routes that linked a civilisation’s wealth and wisdom to the world beyond
Yuval Noah Harari and Parmy Olson on how the race for superintelligence may amplify the worst of human nature
An emotionally compelling account of the traumatic and miraculous ramifications of an organ transplant
From Lewis Carroll to Roald Dahl and Harry Potter, Sam Leith’s engrossing book is more than a history — it’s a celebration
Diarmaid Ferriter’s history of modern Ireland chronicles the dramatic social, political and economic shifts that have taken place within a generation
Uwe Neumahr’s story of the journalists at the war crimes trial tackles thorny questions about bias and collective German guilt
Gauguin’s quasi memoir, rediscovered in 2020, is a key source for a biography that captures the painter’s contradictory character
Amorina Kingdon on the secrets of underwater acoustics and the damaging effects of noise pollution on marine wildlife
The rivalry between Buffon and Linnaeus has lessons about disrupters and exploitation
The fortunes of the Kremlin caterer turned Russian mercenary chief were inextricably — and fatally — tied to Putin’s patronage
John Kay takes a brilliantly erudite look at shifts in business thinking and the battle for consumer trust
Moon Unit Zappa’s memoir of a childhood spent in the chaotic household of her zany rocker father is lyrical, moving and funny
Tim Lankester provides a ringside seat to the policy debacle that led to recession and manufacturing collapse in 1980s Britain
The BBC newsreader pays tribute to the grandparents who witnessed the turbulent birth of an independent India
Anupreeta Das investigates the power of Microsoft co-founder to shape our world — and asks: is it effective and accountable?
David Chaffetz makes a convincing case for why no other animal has had such a profound impact on human history
Susanna Crossman recounts the pain, joy and trauma of communal life
After years at London’s Old Bailey, Wendy Joseph shines a light on the problems facing England’s courts and prisons
