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A fresh wave of historical books shows that the ancient and medieval world were more closely linked than we used to think
Insider confessions from the summits of high finance; the truth-bending influence of the mega-rich; Charles Spencer’s painful boarding school memoir; the tycoons who wrought turmoil on Twitter; the posthumous ‘lost’ novel of Gabriel García Márquez; the puzzle of how humans learnt to speak; belated translations of shocking Sorokin — plus Adam LeBor’s round-up of thrillers
How rich men with big egos brought turbulence to the social media platform now rebranded as X
In ‘The Language Puzzle’, archaeologist Steven Mithen explores how linguistic and evolutionary development go hand in hand, from our grunt-filled past to our garrulous present
A pacy, sordid tale that is a stark warning of how ‘the rich can buy everything — including the truth’
The question of whether Xi-ism is killing Deng-ism is growing
Two sharp memoirs give a glimpse of the steep rewards — and downsides — of working at the summit of the financial sector
A heartbreaking memoir of a childhood endured at a boarding school ‘without love’, where abuse was shockingly commonplace
In his new history, Patrick Joyce brings the rich cultures of pre-industrial rural communities movingly to life
Pornography is here to stay, two new books argue — so it’s crucial to understand how it shapes everyone
The latest book from the ‘Study Hacks’ guru suggests we can up our game by doing fewer things at a more natural pace. Is he right?
The Pulitzer-winning journalist compellingly chronicles why four successive US presidents failed to contain Saddam Hussein — with disastrous results
In ‘Why We Remember’, neuroscientist Charan Ranganath takes us on a fascinating exploration of how we process today’s world based on our recall of the past
From Art Deco to mock Tudor, Gavin Stamp’s quixotic, illuminating history celebrates buildings that still define Britain
Sophie Elmhirst retells the surprisingly tender tale of a couple whose escape from 1970s England led to shipwreck on the high seas
Journalist Kara Swisher’s breezy, score-settling memoir canters through a career covering Silicon Valley and its moguls
Peter Pomerantsev profiles a propagandist who targeted the Nazis — and warns of the fight needed to nail Putin’s lies on Ukraine
A biography of the art historian whose influence is still felt in the digital age is a meticulous marshalling of ideas
Mental healthcare can be life-saving, but Abigail Shrier argues that most therapeutic approaches have serious side effects and few benefits
In ‘The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory’, journalist Tim Alberta explores the former president’s powerful, paradoxical hold over so many US believers
A convincing argument for why a solution to the climate crisis cannot rely on markets alone
Two stimulating books shine a vital light on the thinking behind the superpower
Catherine Coldstream’s intense memoir of a grieving daughter’s journey from agnostic to anchorite reads like a thriller
Aniefiok Ekpoudom’s illuminating, eye-opening social history traces the remarkable ascent of Black British music
A crisp study of key wars in the region offers sobering geopolitical lessons
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