My spouse is good at the day-to-day — we still make each other laugh, the sex is quality, they are an excellent parent — but they do not invite me to or accept my invitations to major life events.

We found out the favourite 2025 books of 35 expert readers – and the Books & Ideas team shares our own picks, too.

Chloé Zhao's film, like Maggie O'Farrell's book, is built on a thin layer of historical truth. Here's what little we know.