CS Lewis’s literary legacy: ‘dodgy and unpleasant’ or ‘exceptionally good’?

It's 50 years since CS Lewis died. His legacy encompasses far more than just Narnia – Rowan Williams, AS Byatt, Philip Pullman and others give their thoughts on his body of work

In or Outsider? Camus and Algeria

Sam Jordison: How far the novel expresses Camus' own view of his birth country has been much on readers' minds

Fifty Shades of Grey goes viral – literally

Library copies of the bestselling sadomasochistic romance were found to carry traces of herpes and cocaine

Priscilla: the Hidden Life of an Englishwoman in Wartime France by Nicholas Shakespeare – review

Nicholas Shakespeare unearths some awkward truths in researching the wartime story of his glamorous aunt, writes Lucy Lethbridge

Batkid saves San Francisco as charity makes a wish come true

Thousands volunteer to help five-year-old leukaemia patient battle The Riddler and Penguin on a day of realised dreams

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot’s prison letters to Slavoj Žižek

Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is currently in a prison hospital in Siberia; here she and Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek meet in an extraordinary exchange of letters

Who killed JFK? Fifty years on, slew of new books add fuel to conspiracy fire

Kennedy conspiracy theories in overdrive as 50th anniversary approaches, with John Kerry the latest to voice his suspicions

If the rumours about Gore Vidal are true, what does this mean for his work?

Mark Lawson: Allegations threaten to destroy the late writer's reputation. If true, should his books be pulped, or does the Wagner defence apply?

The best books on Mexico: start your reading here

Our literary tour of Mexico starts with its bloody revolution and ends with political disappointment and the fight for a better future

Fifty Shades movie pushed back to Valentine’s Day 2015

EL James adaptation moved from original release date in summer 2014 after difficult casting process

Gritty in pink: Hunger Games inspires bow and arrow toy for girls

Jane Martinson: But why must so many toys for girls – even those that encourage outside play – be marketed as something pretty?

Tove Jansson memoir published with rare family photos

New edition of 1968 book Sculptor's Daughter features rarely seen shots of Moomin creator

Poem of the week: Returning, We Hear Larks by Isaac Rosenberg

Soldiers reaching camp after a nighttime mission are surprised by birdsong in this classic poem by the first world war great

Family of Malcolm X sues to prevent publication of diary

Lawsuit launched though daughter listed as co-editor of diary written during last year of late civil rights leader's life