Nino Haratischvili: ‘I never understood how Georgians could be proud of Stalin’

At 936 pages, The Eighth Life is the novelist’s first book to address her nation’s history. She explains why ‘the Georgian War and Peace’ is not yet complete

Marlene Hobsbawm: life with Eric and footsie with Kirk Douglas

At 87, she discusses her memoir of her adventurous early life and her 50-year marriage to the great historian

‘Our friendship was intimate on all levels’: Robyn Crawford on her love for Whitney Houston

The star’s former assistant opens up about a 20-year relationship that weathered addiction, fame and secrecy

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton: ‘We cannot give in. That’s how they win’

Losing the 2016 US election was ‘devastating’, but Clinton is keeping up the fight. Mother and daughter talk about authoritarianism, inspiring women and why thrillers are the perfect escape

Mary Gaitskill: ‘I don’t like the word ‘harassment’ any more. That doesn’t always seem to be the right word’

Ever since her explosive debut Bad Behaviour, Gaitskill has dealt with pain and intimacy, sex and power. She explains why it was time to address #MeToo

Gillian Wearing on George Eliot: ‘She spoke of life from every side’

Artist Gillian Wearing on her new film about the great Victorian novelist’s life

Meet Simone Lia, cartoonist and champion of the humble worm

The Observer’s comic-strip artist on her new children’s book and her obsession with invertebrates

Andrew Roberts: ‘We’re lucky Churchill was so egotistical’

The historian and journalist on what Napoleon can teach us about the art of war leadership

Callum Roberts: ‘Sharks do bite people, they do kill people, but it’s more error than intention’

The marine biologist’s new book describes his lifelong love affair with the oceans, and the grave threats undersea life now faces

Joe Simpson: ‘To be a serious climber, you have to be a little bit unhinged’

The ex-climber and author of Touching the Void on the stage version of his story, his reaction to seeing Free Solo and what he does for fun these days

Michelle Tea: ‘Memoir writing is a very selfish act. There’s wreckage behind me’

She survived childhood trauma and alcoholism to flourish as a queer, feminist and punk writer. Now blissfully married to her ‘husband-wife’, she reflects on telling all

Archie Roach: ‘You can reach the darkest point in our life and come back, and come good’

With Indigenous suicide rates at an epidemic level, the songwriter regrets not talking sooner about his own battle with mental health. Telling his story through music, and memoir, has helped him heal

Jenny Slate: ‘For every bit of garbage Trump spews, I’ll write something beautiful’

The standup comedian is used to writing for public performance, but her remarkable book Little Weirds was written as private consolation

‘It made me really crazy’: Ben Lerner on confronting male rage and family trauma

As the final book in his acclaimed trilogy is published, The Topeka School author reflects on writing as his mother and ‘pompous’ Great American Novels

Flea on life before the Chili Peppers: ‘I grew up running around naked’

The bassist’s new autobiography lifts the lid on a difficult, violent childhood and a conflicted relationship with Anthony Kiedis