The genius of bad books

From James Bond to Jack Reacher, we’re suckers for an uncomplicated hero. But there is an art to the action novel, writes Nick Cohen

Little Atoms 406 - Kathryn Harkup and A is for Arsenic

This week Neil speaks to Kathryn Harkup about her new novel A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie

Science
Words

Ireland's politicians: Don't mention the 8th

The mainstream parties hope they can keep exporting women's reproductive issues

Society

Can the Independent carve its niche online?

The closure of the print titles seemed inevitable, but will the Independent thrive on the web?

Do more guilty pleas mean more justice?

Promising reduced sentences for early guilty pleas could have dangerous consequences

Support Resonance FM's fundraising week

Resonance is an essential part of the cultural landscape

Little Atoms 405 - Helen Fitzgerald's Viral

Talking public shaming with the award-winning crime novelist

Words

What does a good prostitution policy look like?

A recent UK exercise in decriminalising sex works has been praised. But the factors in the debate are complex, and the stakes couldn't be higher

Society

Little Atoms magazine Issue 1 on sale now

Little Atoms is yours to own in print for the very first time

Words

Ben Judah’s return to Darkest England

Delving into the heart of modern poverty, This Is London is part of an English literary tradition that dates back to 1840s

Words

Inside Baghdad's blackouts

Documenting how Iraqis coped when the hottest summer on record was coupled with extreme power shortages

World

Little Atoms magazine Issue 1 on sale now

Little Atoms is yours to own in print for the very first time

Words

Why would the British left back Hillary Clinton?

The Democrat hopeful's legacy should be enough to turn off liberals, but many are happy to support her

Society
World

The Great Cuban Exodus

The détente between Cuba and the United States has led to tens of thousands of Cubans attempting the risky journey through South America and Mexico to the U.S. - Cuban reporters for IWPR

World

London's Garden Bridge project was rigged by Boris Johnson - it cannot go ahead

The mayor was fundraising for his preferred project before tender even went out, giving unfair advantage to his preferred designer, says London Assembly member Tom Copley

Society

The maths of the paper disproving conspiracy theories don't add up

Research claiming to have cracked the numbers behind mysterious plots is flawed

Science

Michael Gove’s legal aid u-turn: olive branch or fig leaf?

The Justice Secretary is restoring relations with the legal profession ahead of his great project, the British Bill of Rights

Society

Meet Amal Clooney's latest client

Khadija Ismayilova is a brilliant investigative reporter, imprisoned by Azerbaijan

Little Atoms 403 - Tim Baker's Fever City

Neil Denny talks to Australian writer Tim Baker about his first novel Fever City

Words

The unquiet ghost of Alexander Litvinenko

The assassination of the former spy in London was a message that enemies of the Kremlin are not safe anywhere

World

Has Justin Welby washed his hands of gay marriage?

The row between African and American Anglicans is about authority

Society

Little Atoms 402: Lisa Randall and Francesca Kay

On this week’s Little Atoms podcast, Neil Denny talks to theoretical physicist Lisa Randall about her new book Dark Matter and The Dinosaurs, and then Francesca Kay on her latest novel The Long Room

Science
Words

David Miranda judgment - over to you, Theresa May

The Home Secretary must now move to protect free speech

Society

Inside the Red Web

Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan’s The Red Web describes the evolution of surveillance in Russia, from the photocopier to the internet. They spoke to Little Atoms about the history and future of technology and freedom

Blue Monday’s not real, but the happiness industry can still get you down

Beyond the marketing spiel, a whole industry is designed to make us more positive and productive. Caroline Christie speaks to academic Will Davies about the implications of enforced enthusiasm

 
Science
Society

Interview: Eric Schlosser's Command and Control

 The Pulitzer-shortlisted journalist talks about investigating nuclear weapons and reveals how close we came to detonating it all

Zigge Stear-Dust swa he aras and Feoll

Game of Thrones academic goes medieval on Bowie

Film & Music
Words

What's happening in Dunkirk's Grande-Synthe camp?

The refugee camp in Northern France has been garnering headlines for its appalling conditions. Nisha Damji, a volunteer at the site, explains why.  

David Bowie - from kitchen sink to Starman

Bowie's own reading suggests he can be seen as the fulfilment of a certain Angry Young Man dream