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From ideas for rethinking economics and politics to pure escapism, FT writers and critics choose their favourite titles of what has been an extraordinary year for books
Tom Robbins selects his must-read titles
Tell us your recommendation and pick up a few tips for your own reading list too
Two authors re-examine the colourful lives and artistic impact of some of the great 20th-century figures
Tom Robbins selects his best mid-year reads
Polly Samson’s reimagining of the lives of the 1960s bohemian set is as a good as a Greek holiday
How the quest for long forgotten instruments played out as a literary adventure in Russia’s far east
Tessa Keswick’s mix of memoir and travelogue goes behind the scenes of China’s highest echelons
On the trail of family roots in eastern Europe, Kapka Kassabova shares lessons about identity and conflict
A philosophical exploration of death, love and art
Navid Kermani travels Europe’s frontiers to explore the legacy of conflict and modernity
An impish outlier in a slew of books for visitors to the Rugby World Cup and Tokyo Olympics
Modernity and tradition clash in the surprisingly diverse post-Soviet states of this fascinating travelogue
With literary legends for company, Peter Fiennes takes us on a nostalgic odyssey
Tom Robbins selects his mid-year reads
Can the great capital live up to our preconceptions? This work has something for most tastes
An epic and occasionally portentous book radically defamiliarises the reader’s habitual view of the world
The land that once linked Britain to Europe is fertile ground for delving into past lives and current concerns
The very American story of how Los Angeles came to capture and inspire visitors
Her travelling days may be over, but the grand dame of travel writing still offers novel perspectives on the world
A rich and refreshing study of the complex ecosystem of the world’s deserts
Tim Hayward and Tom Robbins select their must-read titles
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