Books

A discerning study of the legacy of the last of the papal castrati resonates with Martha Feldman

S.L. Sutherland finds that women still have some way to go to achieve equality in the academy

John Gilbey welcomes this study of zero hour throughout the ages

A revised model of journalism's place in the internet age gets a vote of confidence from Tim Luckhurst

Theory, even to a writer 'fed up' with it, is relevant, as the lessons of humanism show, says Carolyn Lesjak

Western meddling in foreign lands ... Moshe Behar wonders if it's worth a read by a certain Mr Obama

Laleh Khalili is compelled to heap praise on a thought-provoking piece of writing

Peter Gwyn finds little evidence and much speculation in David Starkey's latest offering

Kim Louise Walden examines the case for a less judgmental approach to student 'misconduct'

Jocelyn Bell Burnell finds much truth in the stories about a taciturn physicist

Susan Currell examines the story behind the legal battle against forced sterilisation of convicts

Behaviour is judged within cultural contexts and, says Christine Purdon, excused if deemed positive

Robert Bradley enjoys a clear, elegant exposition of the history and principles of topology

Simon Mitton is pleased to see other great physicists get their due

Juggling family life and a career in science is a struggle for women, Elizabeth Whitelegg observes

Diagnostic labels are a cause of fierce debate in this enjoyable set of 'stories', says David Pilgrim

The life and legacy of Darwin dominates the new year roster of academic titles of note, but there are many other works of intellectual substance promised between January and June

Praise and burials: our reviewers' verdicts on fellow academics' most fascinating, disgruntled, authoritative, wrong-headed, provocative, cerebral, paradigm-shifting, impenetrable and frankly naughty books of 2008

Wilful ignorance is not an option for those who travel at leisure in the Middle East, writes Laleh Khalili

A labour of love pays tribute to our fascination with the winged world, writes Jim Reynolds

Martin Anderson considers the personal tragedies (and the alcohol) behind a grim set of statistics

Chris McManus lauds an ethnographer's long hard look in the mirror