Leave the World Behind review – Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali excel in cracking apocalyptic thriller
Sam Esmail’s sharp, hugely enjoyable dramatisation of Rumaan Alam’s acclaimed novel is exec produced by the Obamas
Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation review – the perennial fight against domination by Moscow
A bestseller in his homeland, Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak’s vivid, sweeping book lays bare the enduring pride that persuaded his countrymen to resist Russian aggression and offers grounds for hope
The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789 by Robert Darnton review – power to the printed word
The popular press of 18th-century France is revealed as having sown the seeds of revolution in a convincing reframing of history
Living the Beatles Legend by Kenneth Womack review – a long and winding roadie’s tale
He saved them from a car crash, snuck them drugs and inspired Let It Be… The detailed story of the Fab Four’s driver, bodyguard and confidant Mal Evans captures Beatlemania up close
MTG review: far-right rabble rouser makes case to be Trump’s VP
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s book swims with venom, score-settling, fiction and self-absolution: a very Republican stew
Invisible Generals review: vital story of Black US military heroes
Benjamin O Davis Sr and Jr suffered from heinous racism. Doug Melville, a descendant, is determined to do them justice
The Coiled Serpent by Camilla Grudova review – stunning short stories
There’s a glorious excess to these weirdly baroque tales, which set their sights on exploitation and English exceptionalism
Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels
A poetic Advent calendar, warming words from Neil Gaiman, a magnificent menagerie and a sinister secret Santa
Pandora’s Box by Peter Biskind review – essential viewing
A sweeping but gossipy behind-the-scenes look at the off-screen dramas that made prestige TV
The In-Between by Christos Tsiolkas review – carnal but tender love story marks a new era for the author
Jettisoning the rancour of 7 ½, Tsiolkas finds himself in a more gentle and hopeful place, with a book about two heartsore men that might be his best
Water by John Boyne review – a cathartic journey of recovery
A woman retreats to a remote Irish island following the collapse of her life, in the first of a series named for the four elements
More Than a Game by David Horspool review – sporting history
From gentlemen’s cricket to the Lionesses at Wembley – what can sport can tell us about the wider culture?
Kibogo by Scholastique Mukasonga review – crisis in colonial Rwanda
The insidious legacy of Christianisation is explored in this miniature masterpiece set in a Rwandan village
Leave the World Behind review – Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke’s apocalypto-paranoid thriller
Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke’s weekend getaway starts to go wrong when two mysterious strangers appear at the door. Then things get weirder
The Witches review – frights played for fun in rollicking musical
Roald Dahl’s villains are given a makeover with a gag-filled script by Lucy Kirkwood and a couple of storming numbers