The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson – review
All the slipshod magnificence and crazy wonder of the late, venerated American writer are present in this posthumous collection of short stories
Armageddon and Paranoia by Rodric Braithwaite review – the nuclear confrontation
An insider’s view of the ethical dilemmas and intelligence blunders that fuelled the cold war
Franklin D Roosevelt: A Political Life by Robert Dallek – a stark reminder of strong leadership
Donald Trump’s weaknesses implicitly come to the fore as a master of the presidential biography captures Roosevelt’s compassion and sense of solidarity
The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World by Catherine Nixey
An exceptional account of murder and vandalism wrought by religious zealotry – and one that suggests modern parallels
Ugly Duckling review – feathers fly in a plucky take on Andersen classic
The set is captivating and the standout moments are performed with swagger by Tutti Frutti, yet the heart of Hans Christian Andersen’s story feels lost
Grandville Force Majeure by Bryan Talbot review – finale of a joyful graphic series
Badger-headed detective LeBrock of Scotland Yard clashes with a T rex criminal mastermind in the fifth and final volume of Talbot’s anthropomorphic graphic novels
Down Girl by Kate Manne review – #MeToo and the logic of misogyny
A philosopher is compelling on misogyny and sexism but it is crucial to understand how neoliberalism and anti-feminism work together. There is an alternative
Why Dylan Matters by Richard F Thomas review – Virgil, Homer, Ovid… Dylan?
An academic’s attempt to shoehorn Dylan into the pantheon of literary greats misunderstands the singer’s appeal
Six Minutes in May: How Churchill Unexpectedly Became Prime Minister – review
Nicholas Shakespeare’s flair as a novelist makes a gripping story of Churchill’s unlikely rise to power in 1940
Collusion by Luke Harding review – did Russia help Trump become president?
A fascinating account of the alleged links between Trump and Russia tracks the story back to its origins and separates the evidence from the fake news
The 100 best nonfiction books: No 98 – The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton (1621)
This compelling and occasionally comic study of melancholy became cult reading in the 17th century and has inspired artists from Keats to Cy Twombly
Diary of an Ordinary Schoolgirl by Margaret Forster review – a young life and a lost world
A funny self-portrait of the late novelist as a 15-year-old, turning a precocious eye on the events of 1954
At the End of the Century by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala – review
An anthology of compelling short stories from the award-winning novelist and screenwriter explores the pleasures and pain of passion
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times review – entertainingly depressing
Historian Michael Burleigh scores points on the world’s endemic political corruption, but offers the reader little in the way of solace
Sean O’Hagan’s best photography books of 2017
Studies of social tensions in the UK and US, rural Sweden by night and mafia countryside in Sicily were among the most striking collections of the year