Top Five Books

In a pandemic, you need a good book, and we've put together a list of our top five books. Books on any subject were eligible for our top five books, but the final list came down to these:

1. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson Mc Cullers. A debut novel, written in 1940 , it is a book about loneliness and struggle but also about beauty. A moving and brilliant novel.

2. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. A brilliant and absorbing book. Based on a real life murder case in 1843, the book follows the central character, Grace, inviting us to ponder what is true.

3. Radical Child Protection: A Public Health Perspective by Charlotte Ritchie . We declare an interest here, as it is a subject close to our hearts. A book that challenges the state's right to place so many children in care, and explores alternative ways of promoting child and family well-being.

4. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent Another extraordinary debut novel. Set in Iceland in 1829, it follows the final days of a young woman accused of murder. If it sounds depressing, it isn't. It is both lyrical and challenging.

5. Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga Written by an historian and journalist, Olusoga looks at the enduring relationship between the UK and those whose origins lie in Africa.