Interviewer

Cal Flyn, Deputy Editor
Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn is a writer from the Highlands of Scotland.
Her latestĀ book, Islands of Abandonmentāabout the ecology and psychology of abandoned placesāis out now. It has been shortlisted for the 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize, the Wainwright Prize for writing on global conservation, the British Academy Book Prize, and for the title of Scottish Nonfiction Book of the Year.
At Five Books, she interviews on subjects including literary fiction and nonfiction, psychology, nature, environment, and science fiction.
Interviews by Cal Flyn
The Best Shirley Jackson Books, recommended by Joan Passey
Shirley Jackson, the 20th-century horror author, has had a remarkable resurgence in popularity in recent years, with a series of screen adaptations bringing her writing to a new audience. Joan Passey, an academic at Bristol University and co-editor of an upcoming collection of essays on the ‘mother of horror’, selects five books that offer the best introduction to Shirley Jackson’s work.
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1
A Little Devil in America: Notes In Praise Of Black Performance
by Hanif Abdurraqib -
2
Gay Bar: Why We Went Out
by Jeremy Atherton Lin -
3
A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes: A Son's Memoir of Gabriel GarcĆa MĆ”rquez and Mercedes Barcha
by Rodrigo Garcia -
4
A Ghost in the Throat
by Doireann NĆ GhrĆofa -
5
Concepcion: An Immigrant Familyās Fortunes
by Albert Samaha
The Best Memoirs: The 2022 NBCC Autobiography Shortlist, recommended by Marion Winik
The Best Memoirs: The 2022 NBCC Autobiography Shortlist, recommended by Marion Winik
Autobiography is evolving; increasingly we find the field dominated by 'genre-fluid' books that plait memoir together with strands of cultural criticism, history, journalism or even poetry. Here, Marion Winik, the memoirist and critic, talks us through the five books that have been shortlisted in the National Book Critic's Circle autobiography categoryāand describes the face of memoir in 2022.
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1
The Break-up of Britain
by Tom Nairn -
2
Independence or Union: Scotlandās Past and Scotlandās Present
by Tom Devine -
3
The Scottish Question
by James Mitchell -
4
The Case for Scottish Independence: A History of Nationalist Political Thought in Modern Scotland
by Ben Jackson -
5
Cinico: Travels with a Good Professor at the Time of the Scottish Referendum
by Allan Cameron
The best books on Scottish Nationalism, recommended by Murray Leith
The best books on Scottish Nationalism, recommended by Murray Leith
There has been a sharp rise in nationalist and pro-independence sentiment in Scotland since the resumption of the Scottish parliament in 1999. Here, the University of West Scotland political scientist Murray Leith reflects on the changing nature of Scottish identity and separatist visions, as he recommends five key books on Scottish nationalism.
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1
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
by Oliver Burkeman -
2
Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles
by Beth Pickens -
3
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
by Nedra Glover Tawwab -
4
The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self
by Martha Beck -
5
Seeking Wisdom: A Spiritual Path to Creative Connection
by Julia Cameron
The Best Self Help Books of 2021, recommended by Emma Gannon
The Best Self Help Books of 2021, recommended by Emma Gannon
Lockdowns have forced many of us to pause and consider the way we are living our lives, says the podcaster and bestselling author Emma Gannon. Here she highlights five of the best self help books published in 2021, with a special focus on creativity and setting better boundaries to safeguard our time and energy.
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1
Being You: A New Science of Consciousness
by Anil Seth -
2
Critical Lives: Hannah Arendt
by Samantha Rose Hill -
3
The Case for Rage: Why Anger Is Essential to Anti-Racist Struggle
by Myisha Cherry -
4
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
by Oliver Burkeman -
5
Free: Coming of Age at the End of History
by Lea Ypi
The Best Philosophy Books of 2021, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2021, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Nigel Warburtonāthe philosopher, broadcaster and creator of the popularĀ Philosophy Bites podcastāselects five of the best public philosophy books published in 2021, including a defence of righteous rage, an examination of the concept of ‘time management,’ and an intellectual biography of the political philosopher and Holocaust survivor Hannah Arendt.
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1
'The Voyage of St Brendan,' in The Age of Bede
edited by J.F. Webb and D.H. Farmer -
2
Sea Room
by Adam Nicolson -
3
Selkirk's Island: The True and Strange Adventures of the Real Robinson Crusoe
by Diana Souhami -
4
A Woman in the Polar Night
by Christiane Ritter -
5
Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Never Set Foot On and Never Will
by Judith Schalansky
The best books on Islands, recommended by Gavin Francis
The best books on Islands, recommended by Gavin Francis
Generations of writers, explorers and armchair travellers have found a focal point of fascination in the idea of the remote island. Why so? Gavin Francis, the award-winning writer, explains the everlasting appeal of the lonely isle ā and why the fantasy is at least as powerful as the salt-sprayed reality ā as he selects five of the best books on islands.
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1
The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers
by Emily Levesque -
2
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
by James Nestor -
3
The End of Bias, A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias
by Jessica Nordell -
4
The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories of Mystery Illness
by Suzanne O'Sullivan -
5
Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth
by Stuart Ritchie -
6
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
by Merlin Sheldrake
The Best Popular Science Books of 2021: The Royal Society Book Prize, recommended by Luke O'Neill
The Best Popular Science Books of 2021: The Royal Society Book Prize, recommended by Luke O'Neill
Every year the Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific academy, awards a prize for the best new popular science book. Here, Luke O’NeillāProfessor of Biochemistry at Trinity College, Dublin, and chair of the 2021 judging panelādiscusses the latest shortlist: six new popular science books that are topical, accessible and infinitely interesting.
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1
Checkmate to Murder: A Second World War Mystery
by E.C.R. Lorac -
2
Traitor's Purse: The Albert Campion Mysteries
by Margery Allingham -
3
N or M?: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery
by Agatha Christie -
4
Death in Captivity: A Second World War Mystery
by Michael Gilbert -
5
Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery
by Nap Lombard
The Best Wartime Mystery Books, recommended by Caroline Crampton
The Best Wartime Mystery Books, recommended by Caroline Crampton
The ‘golden age’ of detective fiction is usually considered to end suddenly with the outbreak of the Second World War. But many of the era’s leading novelists continued to write prolifically throughout, says Caroline Crampton, creator of the popularĀ Shedunnit podcast. Here she selects five of the best wartime mysteries.
The Best Fiction of 2021: The Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Maya Jasanoff
This year the Booker Prize finalists include new work from previous shortlistees Richard Powers and Damon Galgut, a sweeping historical novel by Maggie Shipstead, and a fragmentary account of a life lived ‘extremely online.’ Maya Jasanoff, Harvard historian and chair of the 2021 judging panel, talks us through the best fiction of the past year. See the Booker Prize shortlist 2024.
The Best Thrillers of 2021, recommended by Tosca Lee
Looking for a fantastic new thriller to read? We asked Tosca Lee, the bestselling author, to talk us through the International Thriller Writers 2021 shortlist. With their amazing characters, palpable tension, unique voices and incredible plot twists these thrillers achieve what every reader is looking for: a book they can’t put down.