Thomas Hardy’s life of desire
Why did the great novelist of female attraction create such misery in his marriages?
ByNon-fiction
Discover the latest non-fiction books and must-reads with the New Statesman’s expert reviews. Including biographies, music books, political writing and more.
Can Zelensky survive the stalemate?
Once feted for his showmanship, Ukraine’s president has become plagued by corruption scandals and military failures.
By
Ripping up the Iron Curtain
How a mass picnic party broke open Hungary’s Austrian border and foreshadowed the fall of the Berlin Wall.
By
Sheila Heti’s book of life
The Canadian novelist’s Alphabetical Diaries find a new way to capture the rhythms of human consciousness.
By
From Philip Ball to Rachael Allen: new books reviewed in short
Also featuring My Friends by Hisham Matar and Veiled Threat by Nadeine Asbal.
By
The dictator’s best friend
From Mussolini to Mao, autocrats have often turned to writers to tighten their grip on power.
By
The future of Xi Jinping Thought
The Chinese leader’s political doctrine seeks nothing less than to remake the world order.
By
The triumph of King Charles
Robert Hardman’s obsequious biography pays court to a monarch who is enjoying his power over a deferential nation.
By
22 new books for 2024
From a Keir Starmer biography to new fiction by Ali Smith – here are the books to look out for…
By
What is Labour for?
Two new books show that a century after it formed its first government, the party is once again wrestling with…
By
From Bettany Hughes to Aniefiok Ekpoudom: new books reviewed in short
Also featuring Our Moon by Rebecca Boyle and Trapped in History by Nicholas Rankin.
By
The Amazon guide to burnout
Kristi Coulter’s account of her 12-year career at the tech firm lays bare the toxic work culture of the 2010s.
By
Who runs the show?
As the power in Hollywood has moved from film to TV, so has the much-mythologised alpha male auteur.
By
The white heat of politics
Thirteen years of Tory rule, a season of scandal and Labour on the rise – the hectic Britain of 1963…
By
From Nathalie Olah to Stephen Marche: new books reviewed in short
Also featuring Alexandria by Islam Issa and The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada.
By
From Naomi Alderman to Francis Spufford: new books reviewed in short
Also featuring The Revolutionary Temper by Richard Darnton and The Wisdom of Sheep by Rosamund Young.
By
How the centre right was lost
Shattered by Brexit, the Tory party has been captured by populist disrupters. Can true conservatives win it back?
By
Inside the mind of Hilary Mantel
The novelist’s collected non-fiction reveals her extraordinary range, depth and independence of thought.
By
From Thurston Moore to Camilla Nord: new books reviewed in short
Also featuring The Book at War by Andrew Pettegree and a collection from the Complete Works Poets.
By
Why we go to war
Two new studies of the evolution of warfare reveal the fragility of peace in a world ruled by irrational actors.
By