Max Hastings
On the best work of Sir Michael Howard, the British historian who dealt high intellect and common sense in equal measure
Bad Romance
The author of a new book on the Borgias’ infamous personal lives uncovers the facts behind the Italian family’s long-standing myths
The North Korean Job
The author of the first English-language book on Kim Jong Un explains the dotard-trolling dictator’s mysterious rise
Vive Maigret!
The complete adventures of Georges Simenon’s beloved inspector are now available in one stylish set
Leslie Jamison
On the books worth obsessing over
Criminal Minds
The author of a new book on Dorothy L. Sayers reflects on the magic born of the novelist’s collaboration with her fellow Oxford women
Dead Prime Ministers Society
A rare look inside Eton, Britain’s most respected (and reviled) boarding school
Marie Kondo
On the titles worth keeping on your magically tidied-up bookshelf
Bonjour Tristesse
Once again, the French novelist Michel Houellebecq is a step ahead of current events. But his themes are timeless
Prince Among Men
The photographer behind My Name Is Prince, the largest-ever collection of images of the star, recalls the extraordinary experience of being in his orbit
Lee Child
On the unlikely books that offer a break from your routine reads
First Impressions
A new book remembers more than a decade spent in the orbit of Beckett and de Beauvoir. Here, its author describes her early encounters with the literary stars
Apollonia Poilâne
The woman behind the legendary Paris bakery recommends the best cookbooks
