AA Gill, drop the cheap jibes about Mary Beard – and learn something

Miriam O'Reilly: Three years ago I took a stand against ageism at the BBC. The tide is now turning against those who judge by appearances

What is the real legacy of colonialism?

The conversation: Atrocities committed as Britain's imperial rule ended have been revealed in newly published documents. Writers Kwasi Kwarteng and Richard Gott discuss the history's legacy

Jean Benedetti obituary

Biographer of Konstantin Stanislavski, he was also a translator, director and dramatist

Horrible Histories: too cool for school?

Alison Flood: Author Terry Deary says he wishes he could sue schools that use his books in lessons. Does he have a point?

Students: how do you behave in the library?

Are you a fan of peace and quiet or do you think it's about time these musty old places were shaken up a bit?

Russian publisher refuses to withdraw Stalin notebook from schools

Officials criticise school notebook featuring former dictator on cover as part of publisher's series of 20 'Great Russians'

Improbable research: the Sherlock Holmes effect

Or, why you can't rely on investigative tricks when you study toe loss in lizards and the night-time exploits of dogs

Parent files police complaint after teacher reads Ender’s Game to pupils

A teacher in South Carolina is on adminstrative leave after the parent of a 14-year-old complained that Orson Scott Card's classic novel was 'pornographic'

Don’t let children lose sight of the pleasure principle

Frank Cottrell Boyce: As Plan B made clear at TEDx, stories should be an essential part of inspiring young people

Printed encyclopedias were once a rare source of knowledge. But no more

Ian Jack: Information – 'the sum of human knowledge' – had a different shape in the era of the printed encyclopedia

Roddy Doyle: the joy of teaching children to write

Inspired by his friend Dave Eggers, Irish novelist Roddy Doyle set up Fighting Words to nurture the creative skills of deprived children – with a little help from some big names

Sorry, there’s no such thing as ‘correct grammar’

Michael Rosen: Martin Gwynne may have fun telling people the rules of grammar, but language is owned and controlled by everybody

Why I said yes to Professor Self

Will Self: The prospect of working at a university with people who pursue knowledge for its intrinsic value is truly liberating

Joan Foster obituary

Other lives: Energetic teacher and local historian who specialised in children's lives in Newcastle

Academic ebooks can succeed but publishers must play their part

The era of academic ebooks is imminent, says Jonathan Wolff, but there are still improvements to be made