In drought-struck England, I have a moment of connection with another living creature
At first, I didn't see the deer – but then I saw it was looking straight at me.
ByLiterature
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of literature with our collection of articles, offering literary analysis, book recommendations, author spotlights, and thought-provoking discussions that celebrate the written word.
The NS Poem: West Cork
A new poem by Kevin Cahill.
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France and the fatwa
The attack on Salman Rushdie has exposed the deepening fault lines in French culture.
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Natalia Ginzburg’s small worlds
Years of anti-fascist struggle shaped the author's intense portraits of family life in Mussolini’s Italy. Now, her books are undergoing…
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Mohsin Hamid: “After 9/11, I was treated as a potential terrorist”
The Booker-shortlisted author on race, America and his new novel, The Last White Man.
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The best children’s books for summer 2022
Magic and nature help children confront their fears in the best new books for young readers.
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A life without peace
A new collection of autobiographical prose reveals the turbulent inner life of the celebrated poet Robert Lowell.
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The attack on Salman Rushdie is an attack on a global community of writers and readers
The freedom of expression and imagination that the novelist has bravely championed for so long is under renewed assault.
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The mysterious life of Inez Holden
The novelist and former Bright Young Thing ably captured Britain in the early 20th century. Her work deserves to be…
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Raymond Briggs’ genius was his understanding of loss
The writer and illustrator has died aged 88. From The Snowman to When the Wind Blows, his work was sensitive…
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Censoring university reading lists is crude and condescending
“Offence” isn’t the only way to measure the worth of literature.
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Mark Haddon: “I’m quite lucky to be alive”
The novelist on his triple heart bypass, literature’s “culture wars”, and why he’s donating book royalties to abortion funds in…
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Philip Larkin is a love poet who doesn’t trust love
He offers an uncensored picture of a damaged and unhappy sensibility – but leaves us with the possibility of hope.
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Swapping the sunshine for the dark fatalism of Kurt Vonnegut
In Unstuck in Time, a new documentary about the writer, Vonnegut says he prefers laughter to crying – and it's…
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A fatal attraction
Thomas Mann, German identity and the romantic allure of Russia.
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Latin and Greek are not just for the elite
Studying classics has many values, not least helping you spot when charlatan politicians cover their deficiencies with Cicero quotes.
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Why are so many literary prizes closing?
As several prizes are forced to pause or shut down, writers in the UK say they are losing a “lifeline”.
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The lying life of Emmanuel Carrère
In his new book, Yoga, the French literary star is fixated on truth – so why does he play fast…
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How the New Statesman is helping universities understand our changing world
The New Statesman is partnering with leading universities to ensure faculty heads and students benefit from the title’s award-winning writing…
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The last days of Percy Bysshe Shelley
Two hundred years after he drowned, Shelley's poems of tyranny and freedom speak to our own darkening age.
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