The Birth of Korean Cool review – the making of a cultural superpower
Euny Hong's account of how South Korea went from backwater to cultural trendsetter is a myth-busting treat, writes Isabel Hilton
The 100 best novels: No 49 – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (1925)
A guilty pleasure it may be, but it is impossible to overlook the enduring influence of a tale that helped to define the jazz age, writes Robert McCrum
To the Letter review – Simon Garfield’s paean to the epistle
Simon Garfield makes a convincing case for why letter-writing still matters in the digital age, writes Anita Sethi
Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe review – an outlandish winner
Her brilliantly funny memoir Love, Nina may seem a hard act to follow. But Nina Stibbe’s first novel is even better, writes Kate Kellaway
National Service review – a cultural history of postwar British call-up
Richard Vinen shows how conscription emphasised the mirage of a nation's importance on the world stage, writes Ian Thomson
Last Man Off review – Matt Lewis’s tale of survival on the high seas
This chilling account of a disastrous fishing trip should take its place alongside The Perfect Storm, writes Alexander Larman
One Kick review – Chelsea Cain’s dark, dangerous journey into evil
Chelsea Cain's compelling new heroine Kick is complex and clever with a chilling back story, writes Alison Flood
In Search of Gielgud: A Biographer’s Tale by Jonathan Croall – review
Obstructions, threats and revenge – Simon Callow on the farcical race to publish the definitive life of Gielgud
The Appian Way review – an evocative history of Europe’s first great road
The classicist Robert Kaster is a knowledgable and engaging guide as he journeys along the queen of Roman roads, writes PD Smith
IDP: 2043 review – dystopian Scottish graphic novel
A quirky collaborative story featuring the work of Irvine Welsh, Mary Talbot and Pat Mills set in Scotland's highest village after the rest of the country has been flooded, writes James Smart
Taking the Edge Off: an Aldous Huxley study that’s a bit like a bad trip – review
Priya Elan: Delving into the author's mescaline-fuelled The Doors Of Perception, this programme came up with too many stultifying moments
I Believe in Unicorns review – Michael Morpurgo’s book comes alive
The many stories in Dani Parr's show cause initial grumbling in the stalls that gives way to delight as the set comes to life, writes Miriam Gillinson
Everyman’s Castle: The Story of Our Cottages, Country Houses, Terraces, Flats, Semis and Bungalows – review
Michael Prodger enjoys Philippa Lewis's lively survey of housing that is as much a story of attitudes as architecture
The amazing world of flyingfish by Steve Howell – review
GrrlScientist: Written by a professional pelagic birding tour guide and photographer, this book presents a popular account of what is known about the enigmatic flyingfishes, and it’s illustrated with an abundance of breathtaking full-colour photographs.
Through the Woods review – Brothers Grimm by way of Patricia Highsmith
Canadian comic artist Emily Carroll compels with her lavishly illustrated gothic tales, writes Rachel Cooke