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

The best recent crime and thrillers – review roundup

The Keeper by Tana French; The Kindness of Strangers by Emma Garman; Mrs Shim Is a Killer by Kang Jiyoung; A Killer in the Family by Amin Ahmad; The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary

The Dog’s Gaze by Thomas Laqueur review – the art of the canine, from Velázquez to Picasso

A clever and beautiful survey of dogs in painting, with a brilliant interpretation of their role at its heart

Griefdogg by Michael Winkler review – a cryptic, beguiling tale about a man who turns into a dog

Winkler’s latest novel is ambitious, compelling and bleakly comic; it scratches a metaphysical itch you didn’t realise you had

Pooh in pencil: sketches for original Winnie-the-Pooh book shared for first time

E H Shepard drawings go on display for book’s centenary, showing how he brought AA Milne’s character to life

The Possibility of Tenderness by Jason Allen-Paisant audiobook review – meditations on nature and belonging

The poet reconnects with the landscape of the May Day Mountains in Jamaica where he grew up in a personal story of migration, race and rural life

More than 100 writers quit French publisher in protest against rightwing owner Vincent Bolloré

Tycoon’s media empire accused of pushing far-right ideas, as writers say: ‘We refuse to be hostages in ideological war’

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke review – the downfall of an all‑American tradwife

The premise – Instagram influencer is confronted by pioneer reality – is genius. But does this high-concept debut live up to the hype?