The Next World War by Peter Apps: Cautious optimism - for those who can defend themselves
The Next World War – The New Age of Global Conflict and the Fight to Stop It
By Tom Clonan
Gisèle Pelicot’s powerful memoir A Hymn to Life: ‘Love is not dead. I am not dead’
This is not a book about collapse, nor a story of triumphant overcoming. It is something more complex
Nation of Strangers by Ece Temelkuran: ‘These times are orphaning all that is humane’
These pronouncements from a Turkish exile would have appeared overly pessimistic a few years ago. Now they seem prescient
By John Walshe
An Asylum for My Affections. Sketches of Maeve Brennan: A thoughtful and authoritative anthology
Essays by Belinda McKeon, Niamh Campbell, Roddy Doyle and many others examine the life and work of the great Irish author
Judeophobia. A History: examining hatred of Jews and how it has mutated over time
Author traces phenomenon from Middle Ages to modern day, even among modern socialist and anarchist philosophers
By Carla King
Kiss all the time. Dystopia, occasionally: YA reads for February
Miranda Reason’s debut novel, Day of Now, and new books from Sarah Crossan, Sonora Reyes, Amie Kaufman and KL Kettle
The Triangle of Power by Alexander Stubb: Finnish president’s view of a fractured world
How ‘values-based realism’ shapes Stubb’s vision of international order
By Michael Sanfey
Glyph by Ali Smith: Ghosts in our machinery
This short, smart and bleakly funny novel is fuelled by incredulity at the state of contemporary England
By Val Nolan
Paschal Donohoe on Capitalism, A Global History by Sven Beckert: Demanding but magisterial
Its more than 1,000 pages require sustained focus and stamina but it should not languish unread on dusty shelves
By Paschal Donohoe
The Power of Guilt by Chris Moore: A formidable read that will challenge, unsettle and provoke
Moore takes a scholarly and personal deep dive into one of the most excruciating emotions we experience
By Paul D'Alton
A Sicilian Man by Caroline Moorehead: Leonardo Sciascia’s ‘consciousness of doubt’
Biography explores the writings of Italian author who regularly took swipes at the church, the state and, most dangerously, the Mafia
By John Quin
Worlds of Islam: A Global History - epic, authoritative, multilayered reading
Author takes pains to break down crucial distinctions between peace-loving creed and political Islamism
By Andrew Lynch
Books in brief: Benbecula; Evolution of Telecommunications; Hurling 1810
Dark, twisty fare from the Hebrides; Ireland’s place in telecoms history; and small ball meets Big House
By John Walshe
The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine: A deeply human novel of reckoning and love
The Lebanese author makes writing look easy, though only a master craftsperson could produce this book
By Sally Hayden
Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray: Compelling take on queer adolescence and platonic parenthood
The book shines in the adolescent scenes, which have real emotional impact
By Edel Coffey
Scifi/fantasy: Dave Rudden’s Sister Wake a politically charged epic that draws on Irish history
Plus Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver, The Killing Time by Elly Griffiths, and more
By Declan Burke
John Boyne’s review of Crux by Gabriel Tallent: It’s refreshing to read positive aspects of youth
The author’s focus is on the resilience of young people confronted by difficult family circumstances
By John Boyne
Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union as a Civilization – Accessible history of a new society
Mark B Smith ends on a poignant note and makes a rare confession for a historian
By Conor O’Clery
New poetry: Tom French reclaims calm, Susanna Galbraith offers a visually arresting debut
The Convent of Mercy by Tom French; Clockhammer by Paul Perry; Morsels by Susanna Galbraith; Goatsong by Phoebe Giannisi
By Declan Ryan
Ai Weiwei on western thought policing; plus, the overlap between writers and terrorists
On Censorship by Ai Weiwei; Loren Ipsum by Andrew Gallix; Helen of Nowhere by Makenna Goodman
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