Books to give us hope: Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Rose McGowan and more share their picks

This week at Hay festival, writers, artists and thinkers have been discussing the world we live in today. How do we stay positive and fight for change? Here they reveal the books that give them hope

Even the elephants gave Gavin Williamson the cold shoulder

Also this week, David Davis gets lost at a festival and Roseanne Barr’s racist tweets

Jilly Cooper: modern men have beards and cry all the time

Author tells Hay festival of phenomenon of ‘married men wanting to have gay affairs’

Germaine Greer’s comments on rape are dangerous and damaging

The difficulty of prosecuting rape cases is notorious. The feminist’s suggestion that we give up trying is disturbing, says Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project

Germaine Greer calls for punishment for rape to be reduced

Feminist academic tells Hay festival that ‘most rape is just lazy, careless and insensitive’

Salman Rushdie tells of Hollywood’s phoniness and Trump’s best box

Hay festival crowd hears about TV and film industry ‘bullshit’ and hanging with the Donald

Teenagers’ brains not ready for GCSEs, says neuroscientist

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore opposes timing of exams in a period of major cognitive change

The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood tells fans to chill out

Author of dystopian novel admits she has no control over the TV series – but that’s OK

Judith Kerr: the only exam I’ve ever failed? Book illustration

At Hay literary festival, artist and author, 94, reveals added hurdles she faced as a refugee

Caruana Galizia family ‘at war with Malta’ after journalist’s murder

Paul Caruana Galizia says his father and brothers have not had chance to mourn the death of their mother, Daphne

British ‘linguaphobia’ has deepened since Brexit vote, say experts

New research shows teachers reporting that the vote to leave the EU has hardened monolingual attitudes

Andrew Davies to defend John Updike with Rabbit TV series

TV writer tells Hay festival he aims to ‘wipe out’ idea Updike was a misogynist

UK’s council planners overworked, underpaid and abused, experts say

Kevin McCloud and Hay festival panel speak up for beleaguered town planners

Selfies, Sophocles and Stephen Fry – the week at Hay festival

Mythical magic from Colm Tóibín, some illuminating medieval manuscripts and a game Neil Gaiman … this week in Hay-on-Wye

How Dr Seuss could simplify boring, wordy documents

Bank of England staff read the children’s classics to learn how to get their message across. Who else would benefit from a little Seussification?