Books
Crux by Gabriel Tallent book review: feats of wild imagination
Crux by Gabriel Tallent book review: feats of wild imagination
Gabriel Tallent combines visceral writing about climbing and a perceptive portrait of friendship in his new novel, getting under the skin of a platonic relationship formed by rock climbing
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward book review: slow-burn thriller with a nerve-shredding finale
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward book review: slow-burn thriller with a nerve-shredding finale
May We Feed The King by Rebecca Perry book review: communing with the past
May We Feed The King by Rebecca Perry book review: communing with the past
Glyph by Ali Smith book review: radical energy, resistance and courage
Glyph by Ali Smith book review: radical energy, resistance and courage
Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel
Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel
Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships
Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships
The Cut Up by Louise Welsh review: slippery and morally dubious adventures
The Cut Up by Louise Welsh review: slippery and morally dubious adventures
Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers review: a workmanlike yet touchingly sincere biography
John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers review: a workmanlike yet touchingly sincere biography
Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace
Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace
Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive
Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive
Looking Down at the Stars by Christina Riley review – sumptuous and beautiful nature writing
Looking Down at the Stars by Christina Riley review – sumptuous and beautiful nature writing
A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise
A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise
Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu review – the wintering of a soul
Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu review – the wintering of a soul
Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen review – a redemptive portrait of motherhood
Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen review – a redemptive portrait of motherhood
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
Blood Book by Kim de l’Horizon review – extended meditations on non-binary identity
Blood Book by Kim de l’Horizon review – extended meditations on non-binary identity
A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap review – give them some money
