Books appear as footnote at South Africa’s resurrected literary festival
Blacks don't read, according to a prominent African journalist. So how can such an event survive?
Reading Agency defends libraries’ impact on literacy
As government cuts threaten libraries, the Reading Agency comes to their defence with a success story – the Summer Reading Challenge
Bjørn Lomborg: the dissenting climate change voice who changed his tune
With his new book, Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg has become an unlikely advocate for huge investment in fighting global warming. But his answers are unlikely to satisfy all climate change campaigners
Online dictionaries: which is best?
The new edition of the Oxford English Dictionary will be online-only. Many of its rivals – Collins, Chambers et al - have already launched free web versions. But which one is the wordsmith's best friend?
Dave Eggers helps Sudan’s ‘Lost Boys’ get a fresh start at school
When Eggers met Achak Deng seven years ago neither of them could have predicted that they would end up building a school together
Shakespeare good, Woodhead bad
Francis Beckett: Chris Woodhead's views about children's critical abilities would lead to a school system designed for dictatorship, not democracy
Children’s summer book season is open
Michelle Pauli: The school holidays used to be great for tackling an entire series or a certain theme. Which books once filled your vacations?
Jacqueline Wilson: the grande dame of girlhood
Jacqueline Wilson is adored by her readers for her understanding of the problems they face. But, she wonders, are children today too used to being the centre of attention
Creative writing as literary ‘intervention’
Vanessa Thorpe: Private schools can easily access inspiring authors and encourage creative writing, but what about everyone else? A new project plans to tap talent from neglected areas
Tom Stoppard in warning over decline of ‘printed page’ in education
Dramatist expresses fears that the 'moving image' and 'world of technology' are eclipsing the call of literature
Niall Ferguson is wrong about the national curriculum
Response: History departments are thriving under a flexible framework, write Sarah Hannam and Jane Cavanagh
Live Q&A: Fred Pearce on the hacked climate science emails
Fred Pearce will be online between 12-1pm on Thursday 17 June to answer questions on his new book about the climate emails
Theresa May halts ‘draconian’ child worker vetting scheme
Child protection measures are disproportionate and will be scaled back to 'common sense' proportions, home secretary says
Hail the 21st-century Enlightenment. Ideas don’t come much bigger
Madeleine Bunting: We need to live very differently, argues a bold new text. And that calls for nothing less than a revolution of the mind
Dictionary definition of ‘siphon’ has been wrong for nearly a century
A schoolboy error in the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of 'siphon' has come to light after nearly 100 years in print