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Ten books to read in 2019

1 January 2019
Jane CiabattariFeatures correspondent
News imageJavier Hirschfield (Credit: Javier Hirschfield)Javier Hirschfield
Books

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News imageJohn Grisham on why he still writes as trends shift

John Grisham on why he still writes as trends shift

The bestselling author on what new data reveals about America’s steep decline in reading for pleasure.

Books
News imageWhy Cher has waited until now to write her memoir

Why Cher has waited until now to write her memoir

Cher explains why she has finally written her memoir and who it's for.

Books
News imageThe women of the Black Panther Party

Striking images of women in the Black Panther Party

Stephen Shames' photography offers a radically new and candid picture of the militant black power organisation.

Books
News imageF8 P198

Braille: What is it like to read without sight?

What happens to our brains when we learn to read Braille?

Books
News imageGetty Images 588742003

Inside the abandoned city of ancient libraries

The African town of Chinguetti is home to a large collection of forgotten ancient books. 

Books
News imageHow paper is making a comeback

How paper is making a comeback

As the world goes digital, paper might seem increasingly obsolete – but it is anything but.

Books
News imageHandcrfated books

Preserving the ancient art of handcrafting books

In the digital age, the beautiful and ancient art of hand-binding books is under threat.

Books
News imageElizabeth Day: 'I felt so understood in the pages'

Elizabeth Day: 'I felt so understood in the pages'

When Elizabeth Day had a miscarriage, it was the words in a book from 1936 that helped her through it.

Books
News imageMichael Rosen: How poetry helped me to grieve

Michael Rosen: 'How poetry helped me to grieve'

When author Michael Rosen lost his son, he found inspiration to write again in a poem by Raymond Carver.

Books
News imageGetty Images 1005735718

How reading can help us cope with death

Lisa Appignanesi describes how reading fiction helped her deal with bereavement.

Books
News imageIndex2.jpg

The fiction that helped Laura Freeman recover from anorexia

How a love of reading helped one woman recover from anorexia.

Books
News imageBiblioburro: The amazing donkey libraries of Colombia

Biblioburro: The amazing donkey libraries of Colombia

One man and his loyal donkeys spreading the joy of books in Colombia.

Books
News imageBibliomotocarro 1

Is this Italy’s smallest library?

One retired teacher is spreading the joy of books using his tiny mobile library.

Books
News imageThe ancient books under lock and key

The ancient library where the books are under lock and key

Step inside the world’s largest surviving chained library.

Books
News imageLibrary1

The man who lives in a library with no rules

Nanie Guanlao turned his home into a library for his community in Manila.

Books
News imageIran says Strait of Hormuz is fully 'open'

Markets rally as Iran says Strait of Hormuz is now 'open'

Strategist Ed Moya from AlphaSense says there has been a lot of optimism on Wall Street this week.

Opening Bell
News imageParents have jobs. So why are school days still so short?

Parents have jobs. So why are school days still so short?

Katty Kay on why many school schedules haven't become longer, even though more parents have full‑time jobs.

Katty Kay
News imageThe race to send Europe’s first orbital rocket into space

Inside the Nordic base key to Europe's orbital space race

Tech Now witnesses a rocket launch at Esrange Space Centre, a key player in Europe's unfolding space race.

Tech Now
News imageWall Street builds on record highs

Wall Street builds on record highs

Chief Market Strategist Victoria Fernandez explains why despite the war, US stock markets hit record highs.

Opening Bell
News imageCharli XCX's parents went to raves with her as a teen

Charli XCX's parents went to raves with her as a teenager

Charli XCX reveals her parents used to go to raves with her when she performed as a teenager.

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