Literature
We’re Finally Starting to Take Women’s Hormones Seriously
A new wave of books about women's bodies looks set to turn 'that time of the month' from a punchline to properly understood reality.
A Trump official's anti-abortion novel involves something called a “Porn Storm”
We read Scott Lloyd's novel, “The Undergraduate,” so you don't have to.
Music Drives Gender-Play Novel ‘Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl’
Andrea Lawlor's debut is a fascinating exploration of sex, queerness and gender, played out against a kaleidoscopic musical background.
If Indie Bookshops Can Pay a Living Wage, Why Can't Waterstones?
Recently, Waterstones boss James Daunt said the chain "can't afford" to pay a living wage. What can it learn from the independent bookshops who say they already do?
'Close' Is the Literary Newsletter Bringing Intimacy to Your Inbox
We spoke to the creators of one of the best sources of original writing in the UK.
Morgan Parker’s 'Magical Negro' and the Multiplicity of Blackness
“I was thinking about ‘Black Girl Magic,’ which is cool, but I’m also a real person, so I wanted to explore what is magical about us according to us.”
Afrofuturism: The Radical Genre Imagining a Future for Black People
Afrofuturism imagines alternative possibilities for Black people through works grounded in the harsh realities of present day. Could their creations help inspire better real-world futures?
Michael B. Jordan Is Turning Marlon James's Epic African Fantasy into a Movie
He's adapting the author's new novel 'Black Leopard, Red Wolf.'
Perumal Murugan’s Book 'One Part Woman' Is Chicken Soup for the Erotic Soul
This controversial book—back in the limelight with two sequels—made the Hindu nationalists, and eventually even me, blush.
The Love Poems of Japan’s Heian Court Were the Original Thirst Texts
In this week's Sex Scenes, the ability to write poetry of beauty illustrated the external beauty of Heian-era writers.
We're Finally Getting a Sequel to Margaret Atwood's 'Handmaid's Tale'
Her new book, 'The Testaments,' hits shelves next year.
A Bewitching Interview with Bougie London Literary Woman
The enigma behind the Twitter account winning hearts and minds sat down to tell us more.