Politics Books

Leading British spy writer Charles Cumming found his vocation at 25 after he was approached by MI6. He says that experience, brief but interesting, was crying out to be dramatised

Award-winning broadcast journalist and author chooses five books on Israel. He says that perceptions of Israel and Palestine are always filtered through expectation and prejudice - which makes the problem unsolvable

The author and political blogger chooses five books on the Israel-Palestine conflict and compares the Palestinians to the Jews in diaspora: as the land disappears under their feet, their identity grows stronger.

Many soldiers serving in private armies are not bloodthirsty mercenaries, but just trying to get by using the skills they have, argues journalist Stephen Armstrong, author of War Plc. He recommends books on private armies.

The differences between men and women are innate, argues the evolutionary psychologist, and men's relative success in the workplace a reflection of desire rather than discrimination.

The child development expert Sue Palmer explains why modern life is making boys more sad, isolated and materialistic.

The lawyer who prosecuted Ariel Sharon discusses the brilliance of maverick political thinkers and says: "It takes at least a generation to establish democracy." Highlights work of philosopher Gilles Deleuze above all

The Labour MP on political diaries. A nugget from the day of the Norway debate, which brought down the Chamberlain government: ‘Sunny morning, went riding in Richmond Park. Strolled into the House for the Norway debate'

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize-winner talks about his creation of micro-credit and walks us through his five books on poverty and how to eradicate it - includes Zola's Germinal and Dickens' A Tale Of Two Cities

The journalist and Labour peer, formerly adviser to British Prime Minister James Callaghan, explains his selection of five books about British Politics. Touches on subjects from climate change to the British constitution