Liberal democracy is under threat: these books show why abandoning it would be a mistake
Against Post-Liberalism by Paul Kelly; Post-Liberalism by Matt Sleat; and Liberal Democracy Battling for Survival: A Plan for Action by Tim McCormick
Book Reviews
Workhorse by Caroline Palmer: Nastier and more sophisticated than The Devil Wears Prada
Set in 2001 at a Manhattan magazine, the novel’s length sees plots sag, losing their deviousness and dread
Crucible by John Sayles: An engrossing epic work of historical fiction bolstered by superb dialogue
Sayles’s cinematic talent shines through, always driving the narrative forward in his stripped-back style
Departures by Julian Barnes: Enjoyable rambling, a story and a grateful goodbye
The author insists this is his last book. It’s well worth reading
Pulse by Cynan Jones: Compulsive narratives, propulsive paragraphs
In these six short stories, we are often in a natural world that is a long way from the comfortingly pastoral
Inhabit the Poem - Last Essays by Helen Vendler: A career of single-minded poetic devotion
The 20th century’s greatest poetry critic looks at the greatest of these poets and chooses WB Yeats
The Brimming World: Collection gives insight into rich texture of Ciaran Carson’s work
Late poet found meaning through lowering the volume and paying attention to life
Possessions by Davina Quinlivan: A ‘fictional memoir’ that makes life hard for itself
The structural problems of the modern neoliberal university are very real. Why then dilute the account by making half of it up?
Custody by Lara Feigel: A heartbreaking history of child custody
The most telling quote is from Edna O’Brien: ‘What is a child between injured parents? Only a weapon’
Book reviews in brief: All God’s Creatures; Palestine Minus One; The (Wonderful) Life of Connie Maguire
New novels by Anthony Gardner and Domhnall O’Donoghue, plus an anthology of stories from the original Nakba of 1948
In Defence of Bread by Mike Gibney: Bringing populist critics to heel
Author makes a compelling case that there is no evidence to support claim that ultra-processed food such as sliced bread is ‘bad’
Television by Lauren Rothery: A novel about deeply cynical people living semi-charmed lives
Television shares some flaws with its namesake medium, but when Rothery captures the raw materials of the moment, her prose rises off the page
Blank Canvas by Grace Murray: A different class of campus novel
Sharply-written story doesn’t shy away from questioning how far the bounds of familial love and loyalty can go
Rogue Elephant: How a divided Republican Party allowed Trump to take control
Paul Heideman’s account of GOP’s evolution from mid-20th century to present is concise and highly readable
Solidarity and Pressure: A thorough history of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement
Clear-sighted book by Connal Parr confirms even the noblest political campaigns can get a little prickly
Off the Scales by Aimee Donnellan: a lively tale of the stunning rise of Ozempic
This detailed, eye-opening account is bolstered by an insider look at commercial drug development
Murder and mayhem features in January YA titles, and a fun exploration of an iconic tale
In Beth Is Dead, debut author Katie Bernet delves into the cultural afterlife of a classic
The Successor: Boris Nemtsov, Vladimir Putin and the end of Russia’s democratic dream
Mikhail Fishman’s biography tells the story of Boris Nemtsov, whose life and death illuminate Putin’s rise
Thomas Moore and the Transatlantic, 1800-1840: A fluent voice and an open mind
A new account of Moore as a writer attuned to debates on gender, education, boxing, empire, enslavement and agricultural trade
The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle: Shadows of classic title in sprawling story
Protagonist’s time in a psychiatric hospital shines a spotlight on institutional neglect
Happy Land: Finding My Inner Finn by Tim Bird – Brings a smile
How a population perceived as being dour and taciturn by their neighbours appear to have cracked the code of happiness
Reviews in brief: My Travels with Footsbarn Theatre; Natalja’s Stories; Barren
A lively memoir on the adventures of a travelling theatre group; a fable-like novella; and an enlightening novel with real emotional integrity
The Undead: A zombified Lenin wreaks havoc on Moscow; the Russian state wreaks havoc on a film-maker
Svetlana Satchkova’s English-language debut explores an uncomfortable reality in which opportunities for rebellion are slim
A fascinating book on the design and symbolism of the US embassy in Dublin
America at Home: The Architecture and Politics of the US Embassy in Dublin by Cormac Murray
Somewhere Cold by Geraldine Osborne: Remarkable account of a family’s icy adventure
Threat of polar bear attacks was an everyday part of life during year-long sojourn
Dog Days by Emily LaBarge: Confronting the trauma of an attack
An author in search of nothing short of a new form of writing
The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: A book deserving of wide readership
Solid attempt to tackle difficult task of explaining legal and philosophical assumptions behind slavery
Irish fiction debuts to look forward this year from Neil Tully, Ana Kinsella to Colin Morgan
‘I’m happy to say that rights have been optioned for TV’: A rich crop of fiction is set to emerge this year
The Kingdom by Yoel Noorali: bureaucratic madness and the absurdity of life
Collection of autobiographical and fictional stories has a unique comic tone
The Outsiders Who Built Irish Entertainment: Wendy Elliman details the evolution of a national empire
A fascinating history of the Elliman family and an insight into the early days of Irish-Jewish life
New poetry: Alia Kobuszko; John F Deane; Ruth Carr; and Tom Paulin’s razor-sharp return
Dream Latitudes, Jonah and Me, Catching the Missing Beat and Namanlagh reviewed
Alexandre Kojève, An Intellectual Biography by Boris Groys: alternative world visions
Beyond his notorious ‘end of history’ thesis, the views of the Russian-born philosopher changed considerably over his life
Fawning by Dr Ingrid Clayton: focusing on a common but overlooked trauma response
For those who are overly agreeable, accommodating and inclined towards people-pleasing
Life in Progress by Hans Ulrich Obrist: from budding enthusiast to art world titan
Unconventional and entertaining memoir by man often credited as the inventor of modern curation
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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