Primavera review – Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is school-of-Salieri backdrop for period musical biopic

The composer has a musical relationship with a teenage violinist in this lifeless adaptation of a novel by Tiziano Scarpa

The Illuminated Man by Christopher Priest and Nina Allan review – an unconventional portrait of JG Ballard

The biographer’s terminal illness and death is woven into this original and moving account of Ballard and his work

Son of Nobody by Yann Martel review – Life of Pi author discovers a long-lost poem from Troy

An epic poem about the Trojan war is merged with the domestic heartbreak of the scholar who discovers it in this ambitious, structurally problematic novel

‘The Moon and The Zoo’: Simon Armitage poem celebrates 200 years of ZSL

Zoological Society of London commissions poet laureate for animation to mark its 200th anniversary

‘Every time I write, I doubt myself’: Michael Rosen at 80 on deep grief, self-belief and chocolate cake

The children’s author answers questions from readers, friends and writers on losing his son Eddie, surviving Covid, who he’d invite to his perfect birthday dinner and where he goes for inspiration

Independent bookstores make quiet comeback as big chains dominate retail

About 422 indie bookshops opened in 2025, up 31%, defying predictions of retail consolidation

‘How much have we missed?’: book tunes in to overlooked world of female birdsong

Authors set out to correct under-representation of female sounds – and found some surprising revelations

How to train your brain to see possibility instead of doom

Our minds evolved to minimise unpredictability. But if we learn to live with doubt, a world of opportunities opens up

My Phantoms author Gwendoline Riley on winning $175,000: ‘It was unimaginable. I felt overwhelmed.’

Renowned for her darkly funny novels exploring failed relationships, the writer has been awarded the Windham‑Campbell prize for a body of work. She explains why it will change her life – if not her outlook

‘Women want to experience pleasure’: how the female gaze caught the attention of film, TV and fiction

From passionate romantasy novels to premium television dramas, culture is bringing the agency, desires and interior lives of women to the fore. It’s proving good for business, but is this a permanent revolution?

Yann Martel: ‘I hate the rich people of this world – of which I’m one, because of Life of Pi’

The Canadian author on good writing advice from Martin Amis, his love for digging and getting rid of billionaires

Kae Tempest on creativity and his gender transition: ‘I’m just glad to be alive’

Ten years after his debut novel, the poet and musician has written a follow-up exploring self-discovery and a life lived on the edge. He talks about sexuality, pronouns and drawing strength from the literature he loves

Winners and judges out of pocket as £20,000 writing awards appear to have closed

The Plaza Prizes offered 10 awards in 2025 but some judges say they were not paid, while a number of winners hit back over AI accusations

Lost Federico García Lorca verse discovered 93 years after it was written

Eight-line poem found on the back of a manuscript sheds light on Spanish poet’s preoccupation with time

The man who saw the future: the legacy of cultural theorist Mark Fisher

Touching on everything from late-stage capitalism to Adele, the work of the late writer is proving increasingly influential. Now a documentary on him is looking to live up to his ideals