In this prodigiously researched epic, Torigian details the life of Xi Zhongxun—the father of China’s current leader, Xi Jinping—to explain the history of the Chinese Communist Party. Along the way, ...

This delightful book looks at the enduring mystery of consciousness. Academic philosophising is not always page-turning, but Mr Pollan has a journalist’s eye for the surprising and intriguing. Bonfire ...

Reading is a paradoxical act. We usually do it alone, but the words we read can profoundly connect us with other people. Books offer both a chance to escape from reality, and the tools required to ...