Books & Theatre

Zadie Smith interview

The author tells Arwa Haider about her latest novel "The Fraud" - and taking her beloved London back in time [Montecristo]

A woman gracefully walks on a tightrope, balancing a baby and a laptop while surrounded by clouds.

Single mothers on the page

From "tough cookies" to "bad mothers" and contemporary heroes, literary depictions of single motherhood have reflected society's attitudes [Penguin]

A man in a bowler hat holding a glass of milk.

A Clockwork Orange

Arwa Haider revisits Anthony Burgess's cult novel "A Clockwork Orange" - and looks at how its nadsat slang still impacts modern pop culture [BBC Culture]

A woman with a stylish afro hairstyle striking a pose for a photograph.

Kiley Reid interview

Novelist Kiley Reid discusses her brilliant debut "Such A Fun Age", race, class, humour, and uncomfortable truths, with Arwa Haider [BBC Culture]

A selection of book covers about colonialism.

Books about colonialism

From Akala to Jeremy Paxman to Hazel V Carby, these nonfiction titles explore how the past is shaping our present and future [Penguin]

A scene from the play The Garden Of Words, featuring the characters in a dramatic moment.

The Garden Of Words review

Arwa Haider reviews a new theatre adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's reflective anime, ahead of its Tokyo run [The FT]

Edward Albee interview

"Being alive is so damned interesting... I think that dying is a terrible waste of time."

American playwright Edward Albee in London [Metro}

The autobiography of Malcolm X: A powerful memoir chronicling the life and transformation of Malcolm X.

Growing up with Malcolm X

Arwa Haider on how "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" changed her teenage life [Penguin]