‘Radical moves’ at Royal Society of Literature prompt rebellion
Senior members of august institution fear being sidelined under new president Bernardine Evaristo
April 2023
The new LGBTQ+ lit list, chosen by writers
From sensational memoirs to sublime poetry, Douglas Stuart, Ali Smith, Colm Tóibín and others share lesser-known books about queer life that deserve to be classics
March 2023
Book of the day
To Battersea Park by Philip Hensher review – a pandemic masterclass
To Battersea Park by Philip Hensher review – fever dreams and dystopias
June 2020
'It began with the memory of a playground game': Philip Hensher on writing The Northern Clemency
Years of thinking about school and childhood brought forth forgotten details that the author eventually spun into his epic portrait of life in Sheffield
February 2020
A Small Revolution in Germany by Philip Hensher – review
Youthful radicalism gone to seed in a tale that is diverting to a fault
November 2018
The Penguin Book of the Contemporary British Short Story review – from Blair to Brexit
A collection of short fiction from the past 20 years, edited by Philip Hensher, pushes the limits of taste more than form
October 2018
Book of the day
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
March 2018
The Friendly Ones by Philip Hensher review – home truths and horrors abroad
Books interview
Philip Hensher: ‘I don’t know why anyone would go for Darcy when they could have Bingley’
July 2017
Bisexual people should count for more in the LGBT team
Letters: Edward Lord and Ria Hopkinson regret Philip Hensher’s lack of solidarity with bisexual people in Britain
February 2017
Tales of Persuasion – sombre studies of changing lives
Philip Hensher’s collection of short stories is poignant and observant
November 2016
Authors join Julian Barnes in condemning US authors' admission to Booker prize
Writers including AS Byatt and Philip Hensher say Commonwealth and British writers face greater struggle to find readers, now ‘dice are loaded’
October 2016
The Penguin Book of the British Short Story Volumes I & II – review
Philip Hensher’s unabashedly personal selection can yield an illuminating historical sweep or leave you reeling from a potent hit
September 2016
Best new paperbacks of the month
Best new paperbacks of the month: Houellebecq, Slovo and British short stories
You may have missed these books, covering everything from French satire to Kenyan refugee camps, on their initial release – but never fear, the paperbacks are here
April 2016
Tales of Persuasion by Philip Hensher review – a frustrating collection
Too many stories outstay their welcome in the latest offering from a usually reliable talent
January 2016
War and Peace: the 10 things you need to know (if you haven't actually read it)
Who is the hero? Can you skip the boring bits? How long will it take to read? A guide to a book that is not just great, it is the best novel ever written
December 2015
The Guardian Books podcast
Philip Hensher on the great British short story – books podcast
Famous authors from Arthur Conan Doyle to Zadie Smith mingle with unfamiliar talents in an anthology which – according to its editor – proves the glory of an unjustly neglected artform with a 300-year pedigree
November 2015
Critical eye
Book reviews roundup: Number 11; Pour Me; The Penguin Book of the British Short Story
What the critics thought of Jonathan Coe’s Number 11; AA Gill’s Pour Me and The Penguin Book of the British Short Story, edited by Philip Hensher
July 2015
Best holiday reads 2015
Authors, critics and philosophers tell us which books they will be reading on the beach
