Literary Review

Out now! Literary Review's May 2026 issue, featuring Ritchie Robertson on Weimar @darwent_charles on Louise Bourgeois John Guy on the Tudors Kirsten Tambling on dogs in art @Simon_Nixon on private equity and much, much more: literaryreview.co.uk

The greatest creation of Louise Bourgeois was herself, says @darwent_charles. In this month's issue, he asks whether a clear picture of such a shape-shifting artist is possible. literaryreview.co.uk/latex-lace

Delighted to see the first review of 'Coronations & Defenestrations' in @Lit_Review. Many thanks to Anthony Teasdale for taking the time to review the book. If you're a kind-hearted sort who commissions/writes book reviews, and would be interested in a copy, do let me know.

Winston Churchill's devotion to the monarchy was fervent; he viewed the sovereign as the very fount of honour and majesty. Piers Brendon investigates the theatrical nature of Churchill's loyalty to the crown. literaryreview.co.uk/top-hat-rubber…

For years, the classical tradition has trained female musicians to do away with their vocal break, smoothing it over in the quest for an idealised tone. @MarenMeinhardt explores the politics and ideas that have controlled the female voice. literaryreview.co.uk/while-the-musi…

Dogs are everywhere in art, at the feet of scholars and St Jeromes, posing with their owners and striding through Paris. What can we learn about ourselves, Kirsten Tambling wonders, from the ways we depict our animal companions? literaryreview.co.uk/artists-best-f…

Happy May Day! What better way to spend the long weekend than reading the latest from @Lit_Review including @MarenMeinhardt on women in music, @michaelreid52 on Lula, @rix_harriet on trees, @jgriffiths on the Chinese internet and so much more: literaryreview.co.uk

We were sorry to hear of the death of the legendary Desmond Morris (24 January 1928 – 19 April 2026). In our recent interview with him, he spoke of a life spent collecting books, and of a library that ‘grew to fifteen thousand volumes’. literaryreview.co.uk/desmond-morris

From Alexandra’s lace and pearls to Elizabeth II’s technicolour tweeds, royal attire has long projected continuity and control. Wendy Holden finds the craftsmen behind it all. literaryreview.co.uk/sovereign-style

The Nuremberg Women: At the Trial that Brought the Nazis to Justice by Natalie Livingstone - review by Caroline Moorehead literaryreview.co.uk/crime-punishme… via @Lit_Review

Here's my concise @Lit_Review piece on Ben Lerner's pretty fascinating new novel Transcription, with references to various other books and writers: literaryreview.co.uk/putting-it-tog…

My debut for @Lit_Review, and it’s a review of Keza Macdonald’s SUPER NINTENDO. An enjoyable book – for gamers and non-gamers alike – even if it coulda used a little extra polish. literaryreview.co.uk/delightful-odd…

Spring has sprung and here is the April issue of @Lit_Review featuring @sophieolive on Dorothea Tanning, @JamesCahill on Peter Hujar and Paul Thek, @lifeisnotanovel on Stephanie Wambugu, @BaptisteOduor on Gwendoline Riley and so much more: literaryreview.co.uk

A review of my biography of Wittgenstein, and of his newly published last love letters, in the Literary Review: literaryreview.co.uk/its-a-wonderfu… via @Lit_Review

It was my pleasure to review Stephanie Wambugu’s enjoyably Ferrante-esque debut Lonely Crowds for @Lit_Review’s April issue, out now literaryreview.co.uk/friends-disuni…

To my delight I’m off the bench and back in the game over at the Literary Review, trying to hold the fugitive brilliance of D Levy circling warily round G Stein up to the light… literaryreview.co.uk/a-hard-act-to-… via @Lit_Review

Loved reading and then reviewing @Yoelnoreally's book The Kingdom for @Lit_Review! You can have a read of it here: literaryreview.co.uk/spreadsheet-fi…

Out now! Literary Review's April 2026 issue, featuring Piers Brendon on Jan Morris @NortonTaylor on the Cambridge Five Jane O’Grady on Wittgenstein @wendholden on royal fashion Martin Vander Weyer on Patrick Radden Keefe and much, much more: literaryreview.co.uk

Antiquary, biographer, folklorist and natural philosopher John Aubrey was born in this month four hundred years ago. To mark his quadricentennial, Peter Davidson reflects on Aubrey’s legacy. literaryreview.co.uk/speaking-throu…

In 1971 George Lucas wandered upstairs at Francis Ford Coppola’s party to watch a film called Duel. By the first commercial break he was convinced: director Steven Spielberg possessed rare talent. Graham Daseler reflects on these three men. literaryreview.co.uk/19715-2