Nick Harkaway, John le Carré's son, has gone back to the 1960s with a new novel featuring his father's anti-hero, George Smiley.

But is this the missing link in le Carré’s oeuvre, asks @ddguttenplan, or is there something awry?

D D Guttenplan - Smiley Redux

D D Guttenplan: Smiley Redux - Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway

literaryreview.co.uk

In the nine centuries since his death, El Cid has been presented as a prototypical crusader, a paragon of religious toleration and the progenitor of a united Spain.

David Abulafia goes in search of the real El Cid.

David Abulafia - Legends of the Phantom Rider

David Abulafia: Legends of the Phantom Rider - El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary by Nora Berend

literaryreview.co.uk

More than a century after they fell out of fashion, why have illustrated novels started to make a comeback?

@AdamCSDouglas investigates.

Adam Douglas - Every Picture Tells a Story

Adam Douglas: Every Picture Tells a Story - Whatever Happened to the Illustrated Novel?

literaryreview.co.uk