Shirley Conran, campaigner and ‘queen of the bonkbuster’, dies aged 91

Bestselling author of Lace and Superwoman turned her attention to helping people overcome anxiety about maths

‘I know the adrenaline of escaping’: Henry Cockburn on turning his time on the run into a refugee rap epic

His Costa-shortlisted first book examined his own schizophrenia, from hospital breakouts to hiding from the police. Now the writer has fed this into Tale of Ahmed, a story in rap verse about a boy fleeing Afghanistan for Britain

Award-winning UK teacher aims to show adults their historical blind spots

Shalina Patel’s book highlights stories traditionally left out of the textbooks, particular those of women and people of colour

UK audiobook downloads up 17% last year, Publishers Association data shows

Audiobooks are fast becoming ‘a major route to market for consumers of books’, the trade body says

The Guardian view on YA literature: an adventure for teenagers, a comfort blanket for adults

Editorial: A new survey revealing that three-quarters of readers of books for teens are over 18 has one message: read anything you like – but read

Scottish artist receives hundreds of copies of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four in the post

People around the world have sent the book, with their personal stories, to Edinburgh for an installation to mark its publication 75 years ago

‘Exceptional’: rare books of illustrations from Darwin’s ‘bird man’ on sale for £2m

The set of folios published by John Gould will be presented at Firsts book fair in London in mid-May

Gaza vote divides Society of Authors after call to condemn Israeli military action

Extraordinary general meeting of the UK writers’ union narrowly voted against making an official protest at violence that has killed ‘at least 95 journalists and media workers’

Daniel Radcliffe says rupture with JK Rowling over trans rights is ‘really sad’

Harry Potter star reveals in interview that he has had no contact with Rowling since the author’s gender-critical statements on trans women

Sister in Law review – how Harriet Wistrich fought the law and women won

The solicitor, campaigner and feminist reflects on her notable cases, from overturning Sally Challen’s murder conviction using the defence of coercive control, to the bid to stop the release of serial rapist John Worboys

Liz Truss book enters bestseller list in 70th place with 2,228 copies sold

Former PM’s first-week sales compare with 21,000 for David Cameron’s memoir and 92,000 for Tony Blair book

Martha Mills young writers’ prize open for entries

Philip Pullman will help choose this year’s winners of award set up in memory of the keen young writer who died aged 13 in 2021

Booker prize urged to consider name change over slavery link

Broadcaster Richie Brave, whose ancestors were enslaved, says organisers should be ‘asking themselves some questions’

The experts: librarians on 20 easy, enjoyable ways to read more brilliant books

Do you love reading – but all too often find yourself just scrolling through your phone or watching TV? Here is how to get lost in literature again

Yorick Blumenfeld obituary

Other lives: Dutch journalist, author and futurologist who was an advocated for a post-capitalist society