David Barnett writes about books and comics for the Guardian
March 2025
Mao Zedong’s first Little Red Book had blue cover and less propaganda
Rare early editions of book by communist party chairman, who shunned the idea of wealth, set to go on sale for £1m
February 2025
‘Reading is part of my identity’: the woman taking on Goodreads owner Amazon
Software engineer and developer Nadia Odunayo created the social media readers’ platform StoryGraph and its popularity has rocketed
January 2025
‘Our industry should be appalled’: Brassic creator laments lack of working class people in TV and film
Danny Brocklehurst’s much loved comedy drama raised the bar – now he is calling for greater representation across the industry
December 2024
Tarot, tarantulas and TikTok: exploring our long obsession with predicting the future
A new exhibition at Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries examines the enduring appeal of divination
November 2024
‘We live in a climate of fear’: graphic novelist’s Elon Musk book can’t find UK or US publisher
Darryl Cunningham blames fear of ‘legal consequences’ for reluctance to take on book, now only available in French
October 2024
Robin Hood, morris dances and UFOs: English folklore survey gets post-Brexit reboot
A fresh look at cultural identity will follow outline of 60-year-old Survey of Language and Folklore, conducted by two academics driving a red Mini
‘I need positive things to come of this’: graphic novelist rocked by brother’s suicide donates profits to charity
Award-winning Zoe Thorogood hopes the money raised can help halt rising numbers of young men taking own lives
‘It’s just crazy’: the retired Cornish builder making thousands from his whale paintings
Steve Camps had no formal training but his compositions, created in left-over emulsion, are making waves in the art world
September 2024
‘It’s just black sky up there’: 50 years on, the transatlantic flight speed record remains unbroken
Two men flew between New York and London at three times the speed of sound. No other aircraft has since been as fast as the Blackbird SR-71, explains crew member Noel Widdifield
August 2024
Sharpe creator Bernard Cornwell apologises to fans for no new novel in 2024
Bradford races against the clock to finish works in time for city of culture
July 2024
‘Good evening Halifax’: how a Georgian cloth hall became one of the UK’s biggest open-air music venues
Jo Callaghan wins crime novel of the year with story of an AI detective
June 2024
‘I cast spells at the audience’: Bat for Lashes on howling, magic and new documentary on witch trials
Natasha Khan joins Suranne Jones to speak out for women persecuted in the infamous trials – and channels their powers on stage
Meet the people behind three of the UK’s brilliant independent bookshops
Rebuilding from a fire, competing with Amazon and launching during lockdown – how these indies continue to thrive
Growing sponsorship row leaves UK summer arts festivals in turmoil
Book festivals and events still sponsored by Baillie Gifford to meet investment firm amid row over funding
May 2024
‘Is this what people wear now?’ Sewing Bee host criticises M&S jumpers and socks
‘They made it look so easy’: traditional craft of bookbinding rejuvenated for the TikTok age
Judy stands up to Punch as classic puppet show gets modern makeover
‘Exceptional’: rare books of illustrations from Darwin’s ‘bird man’ on sale for £2m
