Books

Novelist Patrick McGuinness explores the many different sides of Oxford

For sheer absurdity and slapstick, no one serves it up quite like Mark Hanlon in The Pong of Power

Danny Dorling considers the real meaning of Brexit and how it relates to the end of Empire

Evie Dunmore (St Antony’s, 2008) talks about becoming a published novelist

We spoke to Jasmine Richards (LMH, 1999) about getting BAME representation into children's books. To celebrate Black History Month 2019, Jasmine spoke to us again about inclusivity at Oxford and what BHM means to her.

This free exhibition is a gift in itself, but also takes a look at the psychology of gift-giving, especially of the bookish variety

From Cuban economics to Albanian folk music, alumni books for the month...

Whether locked down or not, the written word may well be your friend in November

Latest books in April

Oxford people recommend their top book from the past year.

Former diplomat Arthur Snell (Magdalen, 1994) discusses his book, 'How Britain Broke the World: War, Greed and Blunders from Kosovo to Afghanistan, 1997-2022'

A Mansfield alum argues the case for more quiet time and a spiritual approach to the climate crisis

Bodley news for alumni and friends

Experimental physicist Athene Donald discusses her new book examining why there are still far too few female scientists

The Victorian novelist’s books are still available and immensely readable, argues literary scholar Clemence Schultze, and are partly about Oxford

A brilliant new history book takes the very long view

QUAD talks to the two alumni behind the defining book on Oxford college gardens

Harriet Patrick, Assistant Archivist at Corpus, has published An Oxford College at War, Corpus Christi College, 1914-18 (Profile Editions, 2018)

Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC recounts a remarkable legal career and discusses his collection of radical literature

Alumnus Jonathan Duke-Evans has written an extensive history of a cultural idea, but what exactly does it mean?

QUAD’s Off the Shelf series for December 2021 turns towards seasonal matters, with something for everyone

The re-discovery of a neglected painting sheds light on the scientific revolution and the delicate politics of Oxford during the English Civil War

Oxford historian Yasmin Khan discusses her debut novel, Edgware Road

Archaeology is solving huge mysteries about the evolution of humans, says a remarkable new book

The amazing life of Oxford's oldest alumnus

Richard Lofthouse interviews the Indian novelist, critic and composer Amit Chaudhuri

Book Notes: October 2017

The philosopher John Gray takes a feline stance on life and death

Celebrated philosopher and former Oxford politics professor John Gray (Exeter, 1968), visited to discuss and publicise his latest book Seven Types of Atheism

Oxford Cold War specialist Archie Brown reflects on the human actors who ended the Cold War

Peter Davidson discusses his new book about the literary and artistic theme of the lighted window

From a henge monument around Keble to 1640s Royalist defence works, a major new historical atlas of Oxford has thrown up some surprises, says Julian Munby.

Emily Wilson’s widely acclaimed new translation of Homer’s The Odyssey is the first in English by a woman

QUAD takes a whirlwind tour of the book lovers’ approach to Meeting Minds

Restoring the German scientific pioneer to her rightful standing

A remarkable new book brings Oxford between the two world wars back to life again

More books in August

A huge publishing month as Spring beckons – Shakespeare’s First Folio celebrated, a majestic biography of an Oxford philosopher and an intricate look at koala bears

New and recent books

This month sees British identity and the ‘special relationship’ with the US under the spotlight, and a new history of the CIA

This month Catullus, the Holocaust, making money from Space and a new biography of Oxford big beast philosopher J.L. Austin

Some of our favourite books of 2023 with an Oxford connection

This month a meditation on geese, a gritty crime thriller set in Oxford, and appraisals of the moon and empire

Books for January

We see in 2024 with an exclusively fictional approach, ranging from fantasy to crime to romantic comedy...

A selection of books for July

Eighteenth century Italy's most famous man, post-pandemic economics, the naval history of WW2, and more

This month Shakespeare, cyber threat, the idea of the Hollywood blockbuster, books as gifts and the musician Rebecca Burstein-Arber

New and recent books

This month, hegemonic naval battles, Victorian art and a swipe at 'Oxocracy'

This month, animal senses, the invasion of Ukraine, the symmetry of all things, how to edit your life and literary poisonings

Books that shed light on the Ukraine war, slavery, people trafficking and urban geography

This month, spying on Hitler, a tribute to the joy of mathematics and a heart-warming novel about the transformative effect of an Oxford education

This month, a novel about female identity, a brilliant architectural history of Oxford and the re- translation of the original Bambi novel from 1923

Why projects fail, how to be a maverick, US dynasties and the shadow Beijing is casting over all of us

Books across our desk this month

This month, a classic spy yarn, a chilling thriller, some sparkling travel writing and a magisterial analysis of the Pope and the Jews in World War Two.

Handwriting, Nazi conformity, the economics of climate change, how to act on a Board and chess tips

Books for October

Oxford spies, Hobbes, family unravellings, the evils of American mass incarceration and a wonderful poetry collection

Macbeth, Mindfulness, Einstein, midlife crisis, and a history of sex and Christianity

September's books

A selection of books for September

Punchy short stories, ecocriticism, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and an easy-reading encyclopedia

This month Jack the Ripper revisited, Indian fiction, debut poetry, the history of diamonds, poisonous literature and investment advice.

A new book makes the case

Crime author Andy Griffee ponders the enormous quantity of Oxford-situated crime fiction, asking why the city seems so perfect a back drop for skulduggery and misdemeanour

Oxford is behind the splendid King Charles III Coronation Bible that will be used on May 6

Scholarship is chasing the controversial work of art attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, Salvator Mundi

Landmark climate book draws on unique Oxford records

Some animal anecdotes relating to Oxford from ‘Menagerie’ by Caroline Grigson

The cautionary tale of Robert Peters

Cider was years ahead of champagne for its bubbles, argues James Crowden (Magdalen, 1977)

Rob Iliffe’s new book argues that religion is just as crucial as scientific discovery to understanding Isaac Newton

Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan, Lisa Appignanesi and Phillip Pullman came to Oxford for an event in solidarity with Salman Rushdie

Phil Hewitt (Hertford, 1982) was stabbed and left for dead...here's his story

November's Book of the Month

World-renowned author Sir Philip Pullman was awarded the accolade in November

A remarkable book about a slave who successfully sued her slaver has caught the broader reading public’s imagination

Ahead of publication, Richard Lofthouse speaks to the author of an explosive new book about Facebook

Historian Pamela Roberts has uncovered a most remarkable life, Antiguan and Oxford alumnus James Arthur Harley, once a student at two Oxford colleges simultaneously

Artist Emma Bennett explains why a new art book is creating waves

David Dwan re-assesses George Orwell in a new book

QUAD editor Richard Lofthouse discusses recent books arguing for a stronger sense of place

Oxford’s Chaucer specialist Marion Turner has written an important book at an important time

It's the final convulsion of empire, say two Oxford academics

A recent Oxford research study has culminated in super book exploring the crash in hedgehog population in the UK

UK Literary Festivals

Michèle Mendelssohn’s new book concerns Oscar Wilde in America, but his time at Oxford was a sort of dress rehearsal

Oxford novelist Beth Lewis discusses her latest unworldly novel based on memories of Shotover Park