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Anthropologists look for cultural and political currents reflected in everyday behaviours, says Ruben Andersson, the Oxford academic and author of a new book about the contemporary obsession with self-protection, Age of Security. Here, he recommends five anthropology books that have influenced his work and writing—and reflects on the difficulties of recognising patterns in our own thinking. This…
If you enjoy crime fiction, there can be a bewildering array of books to choose from. Fortunately, the UK has the Dagger Awards , awarded by the Crime Writers' Association to standout books in the genre. The 'Gold Dagger' is given for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally written in English and first published in the UK. Five Books editor Sophie Roell runs us through the…
Adolescence is an "electrifying" time of self-definition, explains the award-winning novelist Tom Newlands. Here he recommends five of the best 'coming of age' novels that capture the porosity and potential of those vivid teenage years when everything, just everything, seems possible. This interview appeared first on Five Books .
Sci fi dystopias are often, paradoxically, hopeful: they show oppressive systems, but they also show resistance. Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky picks out five titles that deserve more readers, ranging from near-futures to space operas, but all featuring complex humans responding to dire circumstances. This interview appeared first on Five Books .
Body horror is often bloody and gory, argues the novelist Heather Parry, but it is also a vessel for social commentary. Here she recommends five books that explore notions of bodily autonomy, capitalism and technology through the form of a horror novel – cult hits that will make you wince, but also make you think. This interview appeared first on Five Books .
Mythological beings were ever-present in the world for ancient Egyptians. Author Garry J. Shaw introduces his five best books to get started, from guides to source texts to lavish illustrations. He tells us why the worst parts were never written down, where to look for ghosts and magical spells, why the north is less well understood than the south, and why life is less well understood than the…
There is romance in the study of ecology, explains the conservationist Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi—whose new book draws from twenty years studying wild snow leopards. Here he recommends five excellent ecology books, from a study of the Serengeti lion to one man's search for a most elusive owl, that get to the heart of what it is to study the natural world. This interview appeared first on Five…
In 1974, British politician Jeffrey Archer lost all his money in a con. As he tried to dig himself out of the financial hole, he wrote his first novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less , about four men who fall victim to a stock market scam and take revenge on the con man behind it. The novel has never been out of print since its publication. As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the…
Henry David Thoreau insisted that "in wildness is the preservation of the world." His words have inspired conservationists to bring many of the planet's more ruggedly beautiful places under environmental protection. But 'wilderness' as a concept has become increasingly contested in recent years, explains Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn, whose new book The Savage Landscape unravels the history of…
Machu Picchu has become the symbol of Peru, but this symbol has never been straightforward. Mark Rice recommends five books that give the full picture of the iconic site: from the record by its 'discoverer,' to the views of Pablo Neruda and Che Guevara, right through to the latest archaeological and historical works. This interview appeared first on Five Books .
The novelist Emily Henry has developed a massive fanbase for her fun-but-not-too-frothy contemporary romance books, which bubble over with sexual chemistry and witty repartee. She publishes so regularly it can be difficult to keep track of which of her novels you've already read—and what you still have left to discover. To help, we put together a list of all Henry's novels, in order of…