Book of the Day Nietzsche, narwhals and the burden of consciousness Justin Gregg’s witty exploration of animal intelligence is a useful guide – but there is more to human life than a search for contentedness. By John Gray
UK Politics The fall of Liz Truss will not bring calm but rather a new period of conflict By John Gray
Adam Curtis’s magic lantern through Russia The documentary-maker’s new series shows how a country traumatised by the failures of communism and capitalism ended up with… By John Gray
What the Huxleys got wrong Aldous, Julian and Thomas saw themselves as arbiters of the good life – but they fell prey to prejudice… By John Gray
The coming autumn crisis The new government faces a national emergency. If it responds accordingly, the Conservatives could yet remain in power. By John Gray
The deep realism of Better Call Saul This Breaking Bad spin-off was a high point in television drama: never has a series better conveyed the complexities… By John Gray
Nietzsche before the breakdown In the 1880s, the ailing philosopher prophesied the West’s violent decline – but not even he could prevent it. By John Gray
The hollowness of Boris Johnson The Prime Minister’s gift for shape-shifting powered his ascent – but in his downfall the emptiness of his politics… By John Gray
The Death of Consensus: the recurring nightmares of British politics From strikes to Brexit, a new book by the BBC producer Phil Tinline explores how the UK has been… By John Gray
The secret world of Mick Herron How the author of Slow Horses and Bad Actors became the foremost living spy novelist in the English language. By John Gray