James Baldwin was a hugely influential figure in 20th-century writing – "one of the foremost American authors of his generation" – explains the literary scholar Ahmed Honeini, as he offers an overview of Baldwin's remarkably varied output, which comprises "extraordinarily creative" fiction and playwriting as well as a body of searing social commentary.

The weapons and tactics of war may change, but the human experience of battle does not, argues Iain MacGregor, author of Battle: The Moments that Transformed Warfare from Ancient Greece to Ukraine. He highlights five books that bring that experience to life, from the ordinary soldier at Agincourt to the brutal realities of the Pacific War and the Falklands.

Historical fiction can be both a valid and a valuable mode of examining unrecorded or forgotten figures in history, argues the award-winning novelist Alice Jolly. That is especially the case for women's history, which is so often thinly documented. Here she highlights five immersive novels that foreground female stories.

When Jenny Evans was writing her memoir, Don't Let It Break You, Honey, she read lots of other memoirs to figure out how best to go about it—studying how their authors shaped a life into a story, recreated the past and navigated the line between memory and fact. Here, she shares the five memoirs that taught her the most.

Society is facing an honesty crisis, argues Christian B. Miller, a professor of ethics and moral philosophy at Wake Forest University. Plagiarism, fake news and political deception are all commonplace in contemporary culture—and even the little white lies we tell every day are more problematic than you might think. Here, he recommends the best books on honesty and dishonesty.

Chinese science fiction is increasingly available in English, and mirrors the country’s philosophical and historical developments. Chinese literature scholar Mingwei Song, a professor at Wellesley, talks us through his top five choices—from 1905 to the present day—and tells us about the ‘new wave’ taking the Chinese literary world by storm.

Since 2023, the Pulitzer Prize jury has awarded $15,000 annually to "a distinguished and factual memoir or autobiography by an American author." We've put together a list of the exceptional books that have received this honour since the prize's inauguration—plus the finalists who have been singled out for particular praise.

If you dream of reading Russian literature in the original, how do you get from the language of the textbook to the language of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? Tom Besinger, who spent a year building a glossed reading room for the Russian classics, recommends five books for learning Russian, focusing on the difficult middle ground between finishing a textbook and being able to read confidently in the language. He also explains why the advice normally given—to start with something short—is wrong.

As summer winds up, it's time to plan our next season of reading. We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to offer a round-up of the notable new novels of fall 2026—including new writing from Marlon James and Emily St. John Mandel—to help you find a book to curl up with come autumn.

Sewing is a creative outlet, and gives you the freedom to create your own style. Alison Smith MBE gives her five top sewing books for a beginner, chosen from her collection of four- or five- hundred. With guidance on textiles, techniques, patterns and equipment, these provide a comprehensive guide for the new and not-so-new sewer.