Non-Fiction
New book claims child-catchers kidnapped boys for the Elizabethan stage
Child-catchers stalked the streets of Elizabethan England seeking out boys they could force on to the stage, an Oxford academic has claimed in a new book.
Stuff Matters - Mark Miodownik
Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? How come concrete pours? Why does a paperclip bend? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? From the towering skyscrapers of our cities to the most ordinary objects in our homes, Stu
The Unwinding - George Packer
Just over a decade into the new millennium, America is beset by a sense of crisis. The seismic shifts that occurred in the space of a generation have created a country of winners and losers, leaving the social contract in pieces. In "The Unwinding", GeorgStuff Matters by Mark Miodownik - review
In 1961, Oxford archaeologists uncovered a pit at the site of General Gnaeus Julius Agricola's headquarters at Inchtuthil in Scotland.The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer - review
One of the odd things about American news programmes is how little American news they feature.
Open Book: Louise Doughty on her novel Apple Tree Yard; a new pan-African prize for novice novelists
Louise Doughty talks about her psychological thriller, Apple Tree Yard.The Unwinding by George Packer, review
Melanie McGrath is impressed by George Packer's angry, wise and moving state-of-the-union address.
Queen of the Air: A True Story of Love and Tragedy at the Circus - Dean Jensen
A true life Water for Elephants, Queen of the Air brings the circus world to life through the gorgeously written, true story of renowned trapeze artist and circus performer Leitzel, Queen of the Air, the most famous woman in the world at the turn of the 2
The Faraway Nearby, by Rebecca Solnit, review
A talented nature writer is led astray by her own poetic fancies, says Frances Wilson.