The Penguin Book of the Contemporary British Short Story – a standout survey
Zadie Smith, David Szalay, Martin Amis … this anthology edited by Philip Hensher showcases skill and range rather than innovation
November 2016
Best books of 2016
Best books of 2016 – part two
Best new paperbacks of the month
Best new paperbacks: Maggie O'Farrell, Helen Simpson and Alexei Sayle
July 2016
Best holiday reads 2016
From gripping fiction to history, brilliant poetry to biography, our guest contributors offer their recommendations for the beach and elsewhere
March 2016
Jeanette Winterson, Julia Donaldson, Julian Barnes, David Hare … my mother before I knew her
Inspired by Carol Ann Duffy’s poem Before You Were Mine, writers reflect on photographs of their mothers before they were born
November 2015
Critical eye
Book reviews roundup: Cockfosters; SPQR; 1966
Short story round-up – marriage, mischief and a flesh-eating stationwagon
Cockfosters by Helen Simpson review – dry and tenderly measured
Top tips for young writers – from past winners of the young writer award
October 2015
A life in ...
Helen Simpson interview: ‘The great unspoken subject for couples is probably: whose job is more important?’
The short story writer on tackling taboo subjects, from motherhood to menopause, and speaking up for women
July 2014
Best holiday reads 2014 - top authors recommend their favourites
Summer picks from Nick Hornby, Hilary Mantel, Philip Pullman and others …
November 2013
Writers and critics on the best books of 2013
Hilary Mantel, Jonathan Franzen, Mohsin Hamid, Ruth Rendell, Tom Stoppard, Malcolm Gladwell, Eleanor Catton and many more recommend the books that impressed them this year
December 2012
2012 in review
Review Christmas quiz 2012
Who worked all day, and got half-drunk at night? Identify Margaret Thatcher's fictional appearances. And in whose memoir does a chapter titled 'Cocainus' appear? Try our fiendish literary quiz
November 2012
2012 in review
Books of the year 2012: authors choose their favourites
From a meditation on walking Britain's ancient paths to an epic American novel, from reportage on life in a Mumbai slum to a blockbuster biography of LBJ ... writers choose their books of the year
July 2012
Favourite pictures from London, You're Beautiful by David Gentleman
With the Olympics under way, the world is considering the look of London. Julian Barnes, David Nicholls, Helen Simpson and Claire Tomalin choose a favourite image from David Gentleman's latest book
May 2012
Nicholas Lezard's choice
A Bunch of Fives by Helen Simpson - review
Nicholas Lezard examines a core sample from an essential storyteller
March 2012
The Guardian Books podcast
Guardian Books podcast: Helen Simpson reads a short story for Mother's Day
In our final short story podcast for Mother's Day, Helen Simpson reads Early One Morning, from her collection Constitutional
February 2012
Love poems: writers choose their favourites for Valentine's Day
Is there a perfect love poem? Authors and poets choose those verses that have special meaning for them
December 2011
The Review Christmas quiz
From snail-smuggling to hair-cuts, our fiendish quiz tests your literary knowledge … plus who said what in 2011
November 2011
Books of the year 2011
A novel about a dinner-party guest who won't leave, a history of Henry VII, an inquiry into madness … Which books have most impressed our writers this year?
