Culture

Woman reading book on sofa with a cup of coffee. Getty Images/iStockphoto

In desperate need of a good book? Our suggestions for what to read next

If you’ve suddenly found yourself with a bit more time on your hands, now’s perfect for sinking your teeth into a new book.

There’s so much choice it’s often hard to know where to begin, which is why prizes like The British Book Awards – or Nibbies – are ideal inspiration.

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Status Quo frontman and pop star Francis Rossi. Health.

Francis Rossi on fame, family life and his greatest regrets

Alex Green speaks to veteran rocker Francis Rossi about fame, family life and his greatest regrets.

“I’ve become known as the bloke that spills the beans,” whispers Francis Rossi before emitting a sharp cackle.

Status Quo’s guitarist and songwriter is explaining the premise behind his latest venture – a tell-all tour aptly titled I Talk Too Much. He, of course, is best known...

Author Marian Keyes on her travels to chilly locations and escapades around the world

Bestselling Irish novelist Marian Keyes, 56 – who has brought us love, laughter and all matters of the heart in her many novels, including Watermelon, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, This Charming Man and The Break – has travelled the world on book tours, charity events and speaking engagements.

Her latest novel Grown Ups follows the trials and tribulations of an extended and...

16 novels are on the Women’s Prize For Fiction longlist Lifestyle Daily

From Maggie O’Farrell to Edna O’Brien: Our pick of the women on the 2020 fiction prize long list

Irish authors are represented in force (Anne Enright, Maggie O’Farrell, Edna O’Brien), there are previous Man Booker winners vying for first place, and the list (as usual) is considerably more diverse than say, the nominee pools for both the Oscars and the Baftas, which is lovely to see.

In terms of who could clinch it when the winner is announced on June 3, Candice Carty-Williams’...

Marigolds, Myrtle And Moles by Alan Titchmarsh

Alan Titchmarsh: Keep getting out there and keep getting mucky

Self-confessed romantic and gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has combined his horticultural passion with his love of words in Marigolds, Myrtle And Moles, his first book of poetry aimed at the green-fingered.

Written mainly in a barn next to his house, overlooking his garden in Hampshire, the book is not full of pretentious prose, but more his own gentle, meandering thoughts about...

Jojo Moyes: My life in books

Jojo Moyes shot to fame with her hit novel Me Before You, which was made into a film starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin.

She now divides her time between writing novels and scriptwriting. Several of her other books, The Last Letter From Your Lover and The Horse Dancer, are currently being filmed, while her latest, The Giver Of Stars, has been optioned by Universal.

She...

Will you reverse the traditional roles this Leap Year?

This year is special. It’s the year of Brexit, and even in a modern world, where we see strong messages of equality everywhere, male chivalry still goes down well. But this year is made extra special because it’s a leap year, and we have a 29th day in February. Coming from a 5th century deal allegedly made between St Bridget and St Patrick and originally known as Bachelor's Day, this Irish...

Coconut Unlimited author Nikesh Shukla talks about the Visionary Honours 2020

Our conversation with author Nikesh Shukla couldn't have come at a more pertinent time – the Bafta nominations had just been announced, and there was a distinct lack of actors of colour in the main categories.

#BAFTAsSoWhite started trending on Twitter, sparking a wider conversation about diversity and representation in film and the arts. These are issues Shukla often explores in his...

Sex And The City author Candace Bushnell: Things I would tell my younger self

As the creator of Sex And The City, Candace Bushnell knows more than most about dating, the way women think about men and the romantic scrapes people experience.

And now, at 60, she is revisiting dating, sex and all that goes with it in her latest memoir, Is There Still Sex In The City? but this time focusing on what happens when women of a certain age find themselves not-so-young,...

Mariella Frostrup: The books that shaped my life

TV and radio presenter Mariella Frostrup is renowned for both her knowledge and love of books. As well as hosting Radio Four's Open Book and the popular podcast Books To Live By, she was recently on the judging panel of Amazon's Kindle Storyteller Award.

"I usually read around a book and a half a week because I have to know about them when I talk to authors for Open Book," she says...

From gender-neutral parenting to 're-wilding', the lifestyle trends set to dominate 2020

The annual Pinterest 100 report has launched, revealing the lifestyle trends that have been gaining popularity on the visual site this year.

Split into 10 main topics, the report analyses data from the 320 million people sharing 'Pins' on the platform and predicts 100 trends that will continue to grow in 2020.

While in previous years the report focused on visual themes like...