Man of the people
Maxim Gorky's first play, The Philistines, provoked riots by bringing everyday people and props to the stage. Playwright Andrew Upton hails a revolution in Russian theatre.
Rhythm king
Brian Morton's efficient and well-researched biography of Prince sends Steven Poole back to the mercurial genius's music.
Growing up gratefully
Melissa Benn enjoys Lynne Segal's lesson on the women's liberation movement, Making Trouble.
In the beginning
Guardian book club: Thomas Keneally on the genesis of Schindler’s Ark.
Boy killer’s astonishing confession
Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone is the astonishing tale of a boy solider in Sierra Leone, says Wynn Wheldon.
Even in the hell of Kabul, hope springs eternal
Hamida Ghafour's memoir The Sleeping Buddha uncovers her Afghan heritage, says Selina Mills.
From Oddball Osip to an ogre
Simon Sebag Montefiore's Young Stalin tells the story of the Soviet monster's life as a daring gangster in pre-revolutionary Russia, says Peter Conrad.
Guardian book club: flawed hero
Uncertainties abound around the hero of Thomas Keneally's Schindler's Ark.
Stuck in Mediocristan
Nassim Nicholas Taleb's The Black Swan leaves Giles Foden feeling underwhelmed by its theories of improbability.
A perfect balance
Matisse's monolithic Backs, to which he returned repeatedly over two decades, hold the secret of his inner life and prove him to be one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, argues Hilary Spurling.
‘As pretty as a swastika’
Steven Bach's biography of Leni Riefenstahl reveals a skilled manipulator who was also uncannily lacking in self-awareness, writes Simon Callow.
Playing to the crowd
Far from being the tourist trap some predicted, the Globe is much loved by audiences and actors alike. Howard Brenton on the thrill and terror of having his own play performed in Shakespeare's theatre.
The begetter of poetry
According to Peter Stanford's biography, Cecil Day-Lewis's search for inspiration sometimes hurt those around him, says Andrew Motion.
The magus
A life in theatre: Throughout his 60-year career, Peter Brook has injected spiritual and political passion into British drama. Now he brings an acclaimed play about apartheid to London.
A true Islamic voice
Ed Husain's story of how a young London Muslim was turned into a potential jihadist, The Islamist, is a wake-up call for Britain, says Anushka Asthana.