The Economist reads
Spook books
What to read to understand intelligence and espionage
Our defence editor picks seven good books on spying
Japanese women
What to read (and watch) to understand women in Japan
Six books (and one film) on life in one of the rich world’s most sexist countries
Demography
What to read to understand why population changes matter
These books explain the importance of demographic ebbs and flows, especially in places such as China and India
Prison life
What to read to understand life behind bars
Five texts that set out the reality of doing time in Britain
Photography
What to read to become a better photographer
Five books to deepen your understanding of photography
Austria
What to read to understand modern Austria
Four books and two plays that explain how the shadow of Austria’s past remains omnipresent
Modern Spain
What to read (and watch) to understand contemporary Spain
Six books and two films on the civil war, the dictatorship and the years since
Global warming
What to read to understand climate change
Seven texts that explain how the climate is changing—and what to do about it
Booze you can use
What to read to make and drink better cocktails
The five essential guides to improved mixology
North Korea
What to read to understand North Korea
Our correspondent picks six essential books on the Hermit Kingdom
Xinjiang
What to read to understand Xinjiang
Books and a documentary that consider Uyghur culture and repression by China
Why people flee
What to read (and watch) to understand refugees
An introduction to the problems of forced migration