Books

Seven men rule the Middle Kingdom, but why them? Jonathan Mirsky on a study of Party potentates

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Overuse of antibiotics is upsetting the balance of our internal ecosystems, finds Jon Turney

Annabel Tremlett lauds an exploration of the experiences of Travellers in Europe and their cultural contributions

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Niamh Gallagher relishes a stimulating and valuable study of a neglected period of history

John Shand on a philosopher’s idea of freedom as non-domination

Lara Cook on a lively history of an enduring style of government and the prospect of democracy

John Harris on an analysis that advocates change in how universities manage sport programmes

Ioana Negru on a work that challenges macroeconomic assumptions and policies after the financial crisis

Newly-opened archives reveal celebrity guests’ true thoughts on Stalinism, says Yvonne Howell

Alison Stokes on a 19th-century volcanic eruption that caused a global climate disaster

Carmel Quinlan on the social and cultural history of the birth control movement from 1921 to 1973

Laura Frost on the needs met by an erotic best-seller

Sally Lowell on our understanding of embryonic development and the possibilities and responsibilities that have arisen

Martin Daunton on the history of the anti-tax movement in America

Robyn Arianrhod on a compelling tale of Jesuits, geometry and heresy in the turbulent 17th century

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Tim Birkhead advocates long-term scientific studies, particularly for natural selection observations

Peter Hutchings is spooked by a collection of horror broadcasts from the 1920s to the present day

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

A former Higgs boson sceptic is a formidable guide on the hunt for the elusive particle

Duncan Wu on a collection of essays and reviews from a discerning critic

Hakim Adi finds an analysis of an often overlooked speech reveals much about the activist’s views

Amanda Pyman on the changes necessary to improve conditions for shop workers

Marilyn Young on a cultural history of the US from the atomic age to the present

Vernon Bogdanor has a few points of order on an analysis of political fiction’s wider effects

Danny Dorling lauds an impassioned call to tame the UK’s ever more toxic worship of money

Roger Cardinal on a critique of the later work of an avant-garde German artist during his years in exile

The Great War transformed the balance of world power in unexpected ways, finds Robert Gellately

What goes up must also come down, finds Annmarie Adams

Philip Kemp revels in the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of western film-making

Tony Mann enjoys a fresh application of complex mathematical thinking to commonplace events

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Robert Reynolds on how US cultural critics in the 1970s ignored the upside of championing oneself

Victoria Harris on an interpretation of the French experience of the Allied arrival and its aftermath that focuses only on interactions with US forces

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Fred Inglis on the deep predicament of scholars in present-day institutions

Life history of physicist illuminates undervalued Britons behind the Bomb

Roger Morgan applauds a pioneering work offering a welcome introduction to a neglected set of issues

Cordula van Wyhe on the meshing of spirituality and sensuality in a master’s religious works

Mary Sokol on the life of William Murray, the 18th-century lawyer, judge and politician

Concentration on politician’s character and motivation makes for an almost psychological study, says A.W. Purdue

Tiffany Taylor on a thought-provoking exploration of alcoholism from an evolutionary perspective

David Bell on how US political gridlock is ruining the chance for social and economic equality

Hasia Diner on the evolution of US immigration policy, its complex aims and intended and unintended consequences for a small group of Jews

James Stevens Curl on the Egyptians’ concept of dual religion - an official, outer face and an inner, secretive aspect

Lynne Segal on an analytic philosopher’s first-hand account of sexual violence and its aftermath

Jeremy Black on the provocative thesis that war has permitted the creation of peaceful societies

A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

A study of Ukip’s rise yields surprising facts about the party’s followers, says Daphne Halikiopoulou

Linnie Blake praises an exploration of the role rental outlets played in shaping the way a generation experienced film

Chris Knight extols a persuasively argued work from a Marxist thinker on tensions in the system

Jane O’Grady savours a collection of writings by a distinguished essayist that are still relevant today

Niall O’Flaherty on a penetrating and nuanced account of Malthus’ insights and the consequent responses

Jane Darcy wonders if exhaustive analysis has left too little room for study of Romantic poet’s creative power

Philip Kemp wishes for more insight into child star’s life

Marta Herrero lauds an analysis from an insider affording rare insight into the market

Self-help guide encourages employees to conform, tolerate and adapt, says Sandra Leaton Gray

Uta Papan on an exploration of pregnancy texts