They were young, they were radical, they influenced everything from Nietzsche to The Sound of Music. Angela Hobbs introduces the best books on the Presocratics.

We live in an age obsessed with self-image. Technology has made the ‘selfie’ a ubiquitous form of social currency. Renaissance means may have been very different, but celebrity artists in Medici…

Royal Holloway literary scholar Ahmed Honeini offers an overview of the writing of James Baldwin, 20th-century American literary giant.

The best books on Auschwitz, recommended by Holocaust historian Mary Fulbrook, author of Reckonings: Legacies of Nazi Persecution and the Quest for Justice.

The best books on abandoned places, as selected by Cal Flyn—deputy editor of Five Books and author of Islands of Abandonment.

The best books on the Harlem Renaissance, the flourishing of American culture after World War I, recommended by Professor William Maxwell

The first half of the 20th century was an era when individuals could have a huge impact on the course of history—whether for good or bad, argues political scientist Michael Mandelbaum. He recommends…

The best books on Beatrix Potter, covering her life as an artist, writer and conservationist, recommended by Libby Joy of the Beatrix Potter Society.

Expert curated book recommendations for books on France; including French literature, novels and French history

Until the 1970s, Britain was predominantly a working class society, says the historian David Kynaston. He charts the social history of post-war Britain, marking how this changed in the light of the…

The author and political blogger chooses five books on the Israel-Palestine conflict and compares the Palestinians to the Jews in diaspora: as the land disappears under their feet, their identity…

British philosopher Jonathan Wolff chooses five books by thinkers who have shaped the field of political philosophy. He explores the experiences that influenced each writer, saying 'it’s very rare…

Many of us aspire to do the right thing when faced with ethical choices, but for ancient philosophers being a good person involved a much broader look at our behaviour and life choices. Here, Massimo…

Tech blogger Venkatesh Rao chooses books for those who agree with Socrates that 'for a human being, the unexamined life is not worth living.'

Existential anxiety drives our lives but most of us are too frightened to think about it, says psychologist and author Sheldon Solomon. He chooses the best books to get a better understanding of our…

The best books on Hitler, covering his early life, and his psychological make-up and myth making, as well as his rise to power and dictatorship.

Plato's Republic is a foundational text of Western thought. Plato expert Angie Hobbs gives us advice on which edition to read

The best memoirs about hiking and other journeys on foot, as recommended by Gail Simmons, author and modern-day pilgrim

Motherhood and 'being a mother' books. Yale Professor Amy Chua talks through the books that most inspired and were helpfull to her .

The six novels shortlisted for the International Booker Prize for translated fiction in 2026, recommended by judge Tory Onyango

The award-winning Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam discusses the best books on world photography, looking at the power of images

⭐ Shortlisted for the 2024 Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction

The best books on entrepreneurship, as recommended by Oxford Saïd Business School's Professor Thomas Hellmann, who says it's a skill that can be learned.

The best cookbooks of 2022, as recommended by the food writer Becky Krystal. Sourdough bread, Chinese 'take-out', Juneteenth foods & more.

Alice Jolly, the award-winning author of The Matchbox Girl, recommends five historical novels about the women written out of history books.

All the Harry Potter books in order. The full list of all 7 books with summaries, recommended editions, and tips on reading the series from start to finish

One out of every 122 people in the world today is displaced by conflict. David Miliband, president of the IRC, chooses five books to help us think constructively about refugees and the causes of the…

Managing immigration has become a key political question of our times. The author of The British Dream tells us about the British experience, and what helps multiculturalism succeed or fail.

The best Kindles available in 2025, recommended by Maneetpaul Singh, Kindle reviewer and author of "Kindle Bookworm"

History is too complex to be an easy guide for navigating the present, but that doesn't mean the experience of those who came before can't shed valuable insights into our current dilemmas. In his…

Novelist and former schoolmaster David Hargreaves discusses five classic works of fiction that portray teachers and the complex relationships they maintain with their pupils.

The author and food writer talks about honey pancakes, mushy peas, drop scones, choux pastry, baked onions and Winnie the Pooh. Perfect lunch-break reading (as long as you're having a good lunch)

The best books to read about Francisco Goya, the Spanish Old Master, recommended by art historian and biographer Janis Tomlinson.

The best books on Italian Food, as recommended by Ruth Rogers co-founder of the acclaimed River Cafe restaurant.

Travel editor Michelle Jana Chan discusses five brilliant novels that deal with the theme of displacement, including work by Adichie, Rushdie and Conrad.

The best books to read if you're interested in learning about mindfulness, as recommended by mindfulness specialist and author Tessa Watt.

The best Victorian novels, as recommended by Victorian literature specialist John Sutherland, Professor Emeritus at University College London

Santigold, the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, discusses the music books that have been most influential to her and her music-making craft.

Distinguished literary critic Harold Bloom recommends the books that most influenced him.

The best food studies books, recommended by Dartmouth Professor Matt Garcia, author of a bottom-up history of agricultural production in Los Angeles.