Books

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‘You’re rewarded for being funny, not being right’: How Oxford Tory ‘chums’ came to run the country

Oxford Union, parties, privilege and architecture are some of the contributing factors that characterise the UK’s powerful politicians, says journalist and author Simon Kuper.

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Book review

River Clyde by Simone Buchholz review: A daring, original crime story

The latest in a popular crime series moves the action from Hamburg to Glasgow, where the state prosecutor protagonist faces not just her own grief, but the new challenges of this alien city.

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Books

The scientific reason hate is on the rise

A record number of hate crimes are being recorded – but why is this and what can we do to stop them, asks Matthew Williams.

Book reviews

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield review: A mystical thriller with serious depth

Book review

Fight Night by Miriam Toews review: The funniest, smartest novel you’ll read this year

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Books

Ben Okri: ‘War taught me as a kid that there is no certainty in this world’

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Book review

The Wonders by Elena Medel review: a gripping portrayal of poverty and powerlessness

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Book review

Harrow by Joy Williams review: A nihilistic vision of a joyless future

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Book review

Limbic by Peter Scalpello review: the dark side of queer writing

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Books

Chilean Poet by Alejandro Zambra review: A dazzling jewel from a true original

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Books

Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart review: a contemporary literary hoot

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Books

How I wrote Tides: A novelist’s search for solitude

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Books

Author Okechukwu Nzelu: ‘I’m interested in love stories that go far beyond boy meets girl’

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