That Ian McEwan, what a comedian. It's not a phrase you come across often.

Pared prose brings mystic peace.

Two women as different as the seasons.

Travel writer and historian William Dalrymple talks to Canvas books editor Linda Herrick about tantric rituals, animal sacrifices and the swirling politics of the Indo-Pakistani region.

From global success with the His Dark Materials series for younger readers, Philip Pullman returns to revisit the Christian story.

Christianity rewritten.

The Morells' son on was the result of a mix-up at a fertility clinic in which another woman was implanted the couple's embryo.

A book for teenagers by an unknown Australian tipped to be the next J.K. Rowling goes on sale here on Monday.

Books about authors who are struggling to write can be overly indulgent and introspective.

Dame Fiona Kidman is back with a new volume of poetry that traces her Irish roots.

Being a large man taking up a space usually occupied by three Vietnamese, writer Walter Mason was obviously an easily noticed foreign visitor in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon).

Wellington teacher and author Leon Davidson tells Rebecca Barry what inspired him to delve into Anzac history on behalf of younger readers.

War from the horse's mouth.

The historical preoccupation with Gallipoli becomes easily comprehensible when you remember that 8141 Australians and 2721 New Zealanders died during the brief campaign.

An artistic diversion from bloody reality, writes Steve Scott.

Another Anzac Day remembered (this is the 95th anniversary) and another clutch of books with military themes have appeared...

For historic and emotional reasons many Americans have always had a love affair with France.

Self is a profoundly anti-romantic writer, which is to say that he's a romantic with his back turned and his buttocks bared, so naturally he begs to differ.

Few books make me laugh out loud but there was a point where I laughed so hard while reading this one I had to put it down.

I finished writing a book this week. There are 74,945 words assembled into 12 chapters, which should leave me with a nice sense of achievement, but there is nothing nice about it.

Mass murderers, mothers who hate their children, and now cancer ... is there a difficult topic Lionel Shriver won't tackle? Nigel Farndale finds out.

A new biography about talk show host Oprah Winfrey reveals more through what it cannot say.

Talkshow star Oprah Winfrey's father is not actually her biological father, no one is allowed cellphones in her presence, and her staff call her Mary.

One of the special joys of touring New Zealand these days is the number of places you find that sell great food.

A new book covers the former First Lady's marriage and years in the White House, as well as the 1960 campaign and JFK's thoughts on a second term.