Alan Rusbridger at the piano ©David Levene/The Guardian Lucy Kellaway Jan 18, 2013

Editor’s notes

A journalist’s attempt to master Chopin’s Ballade No 1 in stolen moments. A review of ‘Play It Again’, by Alan Rusbridger

China's Silent Army Jan 18, 2013

Crouching tiger, hidden agenda?

A study of China’s conduct abroad is marred by an undercurrent of xenophobia. Jamil Anderlini reviews ‘China’s Silent Army’, by Juan Pablo Cardenal and Heriberto Araújo

Swans of the Kremlin Jan 18, 2013

One step ahead

Russian ballet and the revolutionaries. Clement Crisp reviews ‘Swans of the Kremlin’, by Christina Ezrahi

The Love-charm of Bombs Jan 18, 2013

Love among the ruins

Writerly passions set free by the Blitz. Virginia Rounding reviews ‘The Lovecharm of Bombs’, by Lara Feigel

Say What You Mean Jan 18, 2013

Intellectual situations

A bold New York journal. John Sunyer reviews ‘Say What You Mean: The n+1 Anthology’, edited by Christian Lorentzen

Family Secrets Jan 18, 2013

Behind closed doors

The history of shame and stigma is more complex than we think. Henry Hitchings reviews ‘Family Secrets’, by Deborah Cohen

The Examined Life Jan 18, 2013

In brief

‘The Examined Life’, by Stephen Grosz; ‘What Has Nature Ever Done For Us?’, by Tony Juniper; ‘Looking for Transwonderland’, by Noo Saro-Wiwa

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, left, and Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, appear before Congress in March 2009 ©New York Times/Eyevine Jan 11, 2013

The financial crisis explained

John McDermott reviews Alan Blinder’s ‘After the Music Stopped: the Financial Crisis, the Response, and the Work Ahead’

Jan 11, 2013

Not what the doctor ordered

Despite his huge success, Jonathan Miller is haunted by his decision to abandon medicine. Roger Lewis reviews ‘In Two Minds’, by Kate Bassett

Jan 11, 2013

Money for nothing

Why did efforts to aid Haiti following the 2010 earthquake end up doing so little good? Andrew Jack reviews ‘The Big Truck That Went By’, by Jonathan Katz