Live Forever? by John S Tregoning review – adventures in mortality
A professor turns human guinea pig as he attempts to discover the secret to a longer life
Good Girl by Aria Aber review – coming of age in Berlin
This powerful debut plunges the reader into a raging battle between a young Afghan woman’s cultural identity and desire for freedom
Open Socrates by Agnes Callard review – a design for life
A bracing conteporary account of the philosopher’s age-old prescription for living
Quarterlife by Devika Rege review – an ambitious debut of the new India
This acutely portrayed reckoning with contemporary Indian sociopolitics traces the faultlines of caste, class and religion
The Fourth Choir review – James Joyce’s The Dead is brought vividly to life
The exceptionally polished LGBTQ+ chamber choir teamed with Niamh Cusack for a beautifully paced production of Joyce’s short story
Magic Beach review – Alison Lester’s classic picture book is enchanting on screen
Ten animators have produced 10 beautiful stories in this anthology film, ranging from fabulous stop-motion to delicate illustration
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields review
The former child star on Hollywood’s ridiculous expectations of women – at every age
Here review – Hanks and Wright add folksy charm to Robert Zemeckis single-place drama
Set in the same spot – from prehistory onwards – Zemeckis’s sentimental drama is an odd combination of cosmic ambition and domestic intimacy
Confessions by Catherine Airey review – family secrets unearthed
This episodic, multi-layered debut crosses decades and continents to shine a light on the universality and uniqueness of women’s experience
The Science of Racism by Keon West review – evidence that speaks for itself
Think prejudice is overblown? A social psychologist provides the receipts in this densely informative but readable account
Children’s and teens roundup – the best new chapter books
From ecology-saving zombies to a murderous tattoo and a chilly new school for magic, the new year launches with fresh twists on familiar themes
Music As Medicine by Daniel Levitin review – musician, heal thyself
In this fascinating book, the neuroscientist makes a strong case for the therapeutic force of music, describing ways in which it can be a beneficial part of recovery for patients
Hope by Pope Francis review – the first memoir by a sitting pontiff
A historic papal autobiography offers unique insights into the challenges faced by the leader of the Catholic church, but skates over scandals
The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian Gornick review – a restless mind on the move
Reissued for British readers, the renowned US writer’s 2015 essay about wandering the streets of New York has lost none of its sparkle
A Quiet Evening by Norman Lewis review – they don’t make travel writers like this any more
From run-ins with Hemingway in Havana to gunmen in Guatemala, this colourful collection of the late writer’s long-form journalism shows why Graham Greene was an admirer