The Economist reads

The Economist reads

The romance and reality of Paris, the Olympics’ host

Five non-fiction books about a city that is both gilded and gritty

The Economist reads

Novels set on holiday

Some of these fictional holidays aren’t fun, but they might enhance yours

The Economist reads

Five books on the glories and flaws of the Olympics

The games fall short of their ideals, but they’re still worth watching

The Economist reads

The best and worst memoirs by British prime ministers

There are plenty of duds, but a few gems

The Economist reads

Books (and films) about the joy and pain of music festivals

From Bethel to the Bahamas

The Economist reads

Six enjoyable books about football

An eclectic selection covering the beautiful game and why it matters

The Economist looks at

How to stare at the Sun, through art

Seven artworks use the Sun to talk of time, the Earth, the act of seeing and industrial civilisation

The Economist reads

Five books about Iraq, a cradle of civilisation and catastrophe

What to read to understand the country’s recent history—and its ancient beginnings

The Economist reads

Seven memoirs help explain Europe past and present

Their authors are very different, but the continent’s tumultuous history has shaped them all

The Economist reads

Six non-fiction books you can read in a day

Resolved to read more? There may be no more rewarding genre than the short book

The Economist reads

Five of the best books on climbing mountains

The books and a documentary that capture the pull of the peaks

The Economist reads

Five novels that imagine dictatorship in America

A gripping way into thinking about democracy under threat