Ask a bibliotherapist: how books can help soothe troubled minds
In answer to readers’ queries, a bibliotherapist at the School of Life in Australia prescribes reading material designed to calm and inspire
PEN World Voices festival: what can novelists do to help the refugee crisis?
Marlon James, Sunjeev Sahota, Laila Lalami and Maaza Mengiste discussed the subject of dislocation and how to ‘sit in the discomfort’ of refugees’ stories
Scilly sergeant Colin Taylor to headline islands’ arts festival
Taylor built up cult following with posts about life as police officer on Isles of Scilly, and will read from his new book at festival
The Bristol Festival of Ideas 2016 preview: from Yanis Varoufakis to Frankenstein
Bristol’s latest festival of ideas, in association with the Observer, offers an inspirational programme of debate, theatre and reason
Sydney writers’ festival 2016 lineup: Gloria Steinem, Jonathan Franzen, Kate Tempest
The 2016 festival celebrates Italian novelist Elena Ferrante, and will feature award-winning poet Tempest and A Little Life author Hanya Yanagihara
The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger review – Tilda Swinton’s demonstration of affection
The Ways of Seeing writer is celebrated by Swinton and her fellow admirers in an unorthodox four-part documentary that visits him at his Alpine home
Emma Thompson: UK would be ‘mad not to’ stay in EU
Alone in Berlin actor says she ‘feels European’ and that she would definitely vote to remain in Europe in the referendum
Alone in Berlin review – postcard revolution in the heart of Nazi Germany
Brendan Gleeson and Emma Thompson are the married couple who spread wartime subversion in this decently-intended adaptation of Hans Fallada’s novel
Cynthia Nixon: Emily Dickinson would have loved Twitter
A Quiet Passion actor suggests that celebrated 19th-century American poet was far from cut off, and would have been ‘emailing and tweeting all day long’
A Quiet Passion review – Terence Davies’ Emily Dickinson biopic finds beauty in the little things
The Sunset Song director’s film about the reclusive American poet overcomes the challenge of her closed, interior life, with the help of a great performance by Cynthia Nixon
Uncle Howard review – nephew trawls film-making vaults for moving portrait
This study of documentarian Howard Brookner is a family relic, a snapshot of New York’s 1980s gay scene and an unearthing of quirky cinematic detritus
Booky things to do this half term!
Wondering what to do this half term? We round up some of the best book-based events taking place up and down the UK during the school holiday
On my radar: Hollie McNish’s cultural highlights
The poet on the Shambala festival, the magic of Withered Hand, Laura Dudsworth’s Bare Reality and an inspiring visit to a Roman fort
Why authors and illustrators should think twice about going to Dubai lit fest
From climate change caused by CO2 emissions to human rights issues, author Jonathan Emmett makes the case for avoiding the Emirates Airline festival of literature in Dubai – what do you think?
Book festivals are worth far more than fees
Writers, championed by Philip Pullman, may object to attending literary gatherings for free. But the events help to sustain a reading culture