Catherine Clarke A History of England in 25 Poems400pp. Allen Lane. £25. Mark Forsyth Rhyme and ReasonA short history of poetry and people (forpeople who don’t usually read poetry)368pp. Allen & Unwin

Some readers may be aware of the Observer’s literary scoop last summer: Chloe Hadjimatheou’s exposé, that is, about The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. Published in 2018, this memoir tells a tale of homeles

You wouldn’t guess from the cover design—three songbirds silhouetted over swatches of picturesque Englishness—but Catherine Clarke’s A History of England in 25 Poems hits one of its sweet spots with a

Have you always fancied taking your running hobby on holiday with you, but been caught short by exorbitant costs of organised trips? Or have you been befuddled by the amount of options on offer, or de

I had no idea that a monster was living in my home, waiting to strike

Michael Henderson on Radio SWIFT PRESS; RADIO 4; ...