Books by Julia Lovell

From the most brutal siege of World War I to the renewed significance of an ideology many of us had dismissed as defunct, 2019 was a good year for traditional history books on big themes. Paul Lay, editor of History Today, talks us through his picks of the best history books of the year.

Every year, the Baillie Gifford Prize judges seek to identify the very best nonfiction books published in the last year. Here, the chair of this year’s judging panel Stig Abell talks us through the 2019 shortlist: a thrilling line-up of books that are as notable for their literary prowess as for their weight and significance.

Every year the British Academy’s Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize is awarded to a nonfiction book that has contributed to ‘global cultural understanding.’ Cambridge professor Ash Amin, chair of this year’s panel of judges, talks us through the fabulous books that made the 2019 shortlist and explains why they’re so important.

Want to read something that won’t feel out of date next year? Something from a different time and place, but with universal resonance? Five Books contributing editor Tuva Kahrs picks five classic books from China, Japan and Korea that have stood the test of time, from a blockbuster adventure novel to a murderous memoir.

During China’s Ming and Qing dynasties, a number of novels were written which are regarded as classics of Chinese literature. Several of them have been recommended on Five Books, including one modern retelling.

Whether you want to read the entire history of China in 250 pages or find out what’s going on right now in Xinjiang, enjoy a new translation of a 16th-century fantasy novel or delve into contemporary short stories, 2021 has been another good year for books about China. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine, recommends his favourite China books of 2021.

What is the Buddhist equivalent of the Bible? What is the Dalai Lama’s favourite book? Buddhist scholar Donald Lopez recommends some of his favourite books on Buddhism.