Srinath Raghavan’s masterful study of the country’s only female prime minister resonates with timely political lessons
Sarah Hall’s experimental novel traces human history from the viewpoint of a ‘wrathful’ weather phenomenon occurring only in Cumbria
The history of snow, power of the sun and our motor vehicle addiction
Former politician Sally Gimson examines the blunders that led to the failure of one of Europe’s biggest infrastructure projects
Rie Qudan’s prizewinning Japanese novella packs in themes from crime to architecture, tech to generational disconnect
The book’s elegant premise is that the Rhine, the Rhône and the Po gave rise to the three great national cultures — and in doing so helped unify Europe
A biography of the American writer and activist avoids casting him as saintly — and shows that the best portraits of artists are often the least hagiographic
Britain’s HS2 goes off the rails; a Greyhound bus ride across a polarised America; Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian streak; a fictional day at a very weird office; three rivers that made Europe; boundary-breaking novels by Rie Qudan and Sarah Hall; Pilita Clark’s pick of the best books on the environment — plus Nilanjana Roy on the life of James Baldwin
Ben Pester’s debut novel presents a well-executed vision of a genuinely soul-destroying workplace
Joanna Pocock retraces her 2006 bus route from Detroit to LA, and finds a country on the brink
Tales of geopolitics and growth — plus a rare novel — are among this year’s contenders
Dan Wang’s compelling and provocative book explores both the merits and the madness of China’s engineering state
Childhood encouragement, libraries and government support can reverse the trend
Stories that get to the heart of the matter
Argentine author Leila Guerriero turns literary detective in tracing the writer’s Spanish haunts during the writing of ‘In Cold Blood’
Scotland’s first female leader was one of its most popular politicians, yet her independence policy also made her one of the most polarising
A witty portrayal of surrogacy that confronts the injustices of class and gender imbalances in Japanese society
The important thing is enjoyment. Find your slow lane and stick in it
A compelling portrait of the city argues that the ‘gladiatorial arena’ of egos in the late 1980s fractured its promise of a better life
The award-winning author takes a clever, comic look at online culture and intergenerational divides
The historian takes a highly readable look at the globalised, interconnected underworld — and how it shapes ‘the upperworld’
A fit metaphor for a country melting in corruption; plus tales on sibling rivalry and what happens when the familial vacuum is filled by something disturbing
This charming and clever campus novel is both a compelling story about infidelity and an entertaining puzzle
Novelist and Liverpool fan Anthony Quinn celebrates the life and career of one of the most ambitious, naive — and shortest — stars of the 1970s
Two books argue that despite the gloom, environmental progress is still possible through science and diplomacy
Two books trace the country’s 20th-century path from isolationist to anxious global superpower
A well-researched A to Z of capitalism’s most influential commentators from one of the world’s leading economic writers
The International Booker-shortlisted author’s beautifully told novel follows a gang of petty criminals in occupied Oslo
A useful primer explains how cosmic exploration has been commercialised and explores the challenges in policing this new wild west
Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie are back, loved up and groping for emotional maturity
In a world of instability, war, famine and ecological catastrophe, we need funny fiction more than ever
Sam Dalrymple’s pacy history of the making of modern Asia is a reminder of the role of chance in the creation of nations
Elaine Castillo’s wry and witty tale of workplace romance becomes a commentary on the impact of big tech
Andrew Martin’s history vividly conjures a lost age when Britons flocked to the coast by rail
Our August selection looks at jealousy and greed, the spiritual cost of the super-rich, authoritarianism and gods of mundane things
He talks about his new book, Mutiny, an often bleak record of Brexit-voting towns and regions
How the success of a singular video game led to crises for almost all its creators
