Why two caves are better than one
Sebastian Mallaby combines a history of the World Bank with a biography of its flamboyant president. It will make uncomfortable reading for some, says Richard Adams.
Good enough
Tom Shone is nearly seduced by The Whole Equation, a history of Hollywood from the film critic's film critic, David Thomson.
Where there’s a Will there’s a payday
A surefire way to ruin a scholar is to offer them so much money that they write books - on Shakespeare in this case - which the hucksters in the trade want rather than the works their discipline needs, says John Sutherland.
Wandering star
In Ramblin' Man, Ed Cray tells how Woody Guthrie was a mystery to everyone, including himself, says Mike Marqusee.
Hits and myths
Steven Poole grapples with David Sinclair's all singing, all dancing tribute to the Spice Girls, Wannabe.
Why school is just like No 10
Catherine Bennett: When Peter Hyman told Tony Blair he was leaving No 10 to work in an inner city school, the Prime Minister twice hailed his decision as "noble". And for once, a great many people agreed with him.
Children of rich parents are better at reading
A five-year-old whose parents earn more than £67,500 has reading skills six months more advanced than one whose parents are jobless.
Roots and branches
Melissa Benn examines the lives of two of Ireland's favourite daughters in Nell by Nell McCafferty and The Road from Ardoyne by Ray Mac Manais.
Falling in love again
Depression cut the naturalist Richard Mabey off from the natural world. He charts his slow process of recovery in Nature Cure.
Cry, the beloved country
Justin Hill on Michela Wrong's moving and ultimately uplifting account of Eritrea's emancipation, I Didn't Do It For You.
Why the culture of failure has been hard to break
In the second of a three-part serialisation of their new book, Polly Toynbee and David Walker assess whether Labour has delivered on its second-term promises. Today they examine education.
You’ve got male
Tom Lubbock enjoys James Hall's diverting look at art, Michelangelo and the Reinvention of the Human Body.
Life begins at 50
Walter Sickert is remembered as a friend of more famous folk. Jad Adams wonders if he is worthy of Matthew Sturgis's extended biography.
Shelf life
From Arthur C Clarke to James Watson, escape the January gloom with Tim Radford's essential science library.
£1.7m keeps medieval book in UK
The Macclesfield Psalter, a compendium of medieval piety and outrageously bawdy jokes, will stay in East Anglia, where it was made in about 1320, after a national appeal raised the £1.7m to match the auction price offered by the Getty Museum in California.