Robert Markus obituary
Medieval history scholar who helped establish the idea of Late Antiquity
Why is this government making it even harder for children to read?
Catherine Johnson: Politicians claim to be saddened by children's lack of literacy, and yet they are cutting the book gifting scheme
This government has set its face against reading
Michael Rosen: The withdrawal of funding from Booktrust's free books programmes recklessly ignores the all-round educational benefits of books
John Jones obituary
Painter, film-maker and teacher who inspired his students
The crippling of Booktrust is a sorry tale
Sarah Ditum: In order to save just £13m, the government is denying the power and the pleasure of literacy to children from all backgrounds
Books on the frontline of the student protests
I was startled to see a giant mock-up of my book in use as a shield at this week's demonstrations – but it's actually an appropriate defence
A novel idea for psychologists
Do psychologists make better novelists? What happened when one researcher applied his powers of human understanding to the literary form
Robert Burns museum opens at his former home in Ayrshire
National Trust opens Robert Burns museum after two-year delay, hoping people won't be tim'rous about coming
Cold comfort
Re-writing in a frigid flat is no fun, but at least I had the consolation of higher education to keep my intellectual circulation going
Afghan schoolbooks teach their students little of value or relevance
Nushin Arbabzadah: The books reflect the education ministry's intellectual poverty and cultural parochialism, and are an insult to Afghan literature
The Ministry of Stories opens for children who want to write
One of the first volunteers to work with children at Nick Hornby's new writing centre was Frances Booth
Students wave placards and I’m haunted by the ghosts of demos past
Fielding remembers when teachers – inspired by Allen Ginsberg, RD Laing and Jimi Hendrix – were going to change the world and save the working class
Mohammed Arkoun obituary
Influential Islamic scholar who explored Enlightenment ideals
Mumbai University drops Rohinton Mistry novel after extremists complain
• Author decries 'threats and intimidation' by Shiv Sena• Such a Long Journey insults leader Bal Thackeray – grandson
Children’s authors in schools: literature’s road warriors
School visits are increasingly accepted as a vital foundation for inspiring new generations of readers