Books & arts

Film and fiction
Billy Wilder is ready for his close-up

Jonathan Coe’s novel reimagines the life and work of a legendary director

Lest they forget
The changing legacy of the second world war in China

Under Mao Zedong the subject of the war was avoided. Now it is used to illustrate the country’s rise to power

Value judgments
Joseph Henrich’s study of WEIRD societies

That is, Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic

Songs of innocence and experience
Martin Amis’s new book mixes autofiction and writing advice

“Inside Story” is a reflection on past loves, friendships and a 50-year career

Shades of black
For centuries, the colour black has tested artists’ ingenuity

Anish Kapoor, a British-Indian artist, uses the blackest black ever created to question notions of perception

Take me to church
A lavish set of books brings readers closer to the Sistine frescoes

For $22,000 you can pore over every detail in the comfort of your own home

Bumps in the night
Exorcism has a long and spooky history

Demand surged after the release of “The Exorcist” in 1973

Johnson
A tantalising book of puzzles is a gateway to linguistics

How do you say “nine cucumbers” in Japanese?

Kenyan fiction
Sisters and suitors battle ogres in “The Perfect Nine”

At 82, Ngugi wa Thiong’o has written a delightful novel in verse

A resilient ideology
Conservatism works best when it compromises

But which changes are inevitable, and which should be resisted?

Windows of opportunity
Matisse’s windows offer glimpses of another life

A delayed show at the Centre Pompidou captures and alleviates the lockdown mood

¡No pasarán!
The tragic idealism of the International Brigades

They remain heroes of the left for their self-sacrifice in the Spanish civil war