Fred Studemann, the Financial Times' literary editor, and Laura Battle, the outgoing deputy books editor, share their top book picks for 2024. They explore standout releases from authors like Sally Rooney and Alexei Navalny, noting trends in literature including themes of geopolitics and personal exploration. Their favorites include 'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey, set in space, and Miranda July’s humorous 'All Fours'. The duo reflects on evolving reading habits and the importance of fiction in understanding today's world, all while saying goodbye after a fantastic run.

Laura Battle, deputy books editor at the Financial Times, and Griselda Murray-Brown, commissioning editor for FT Magazine, dive into the buzz around Sally Rooney's new novel, Intermezzo. They dissect the themes of familial loss and relationships, exploring why Rooney resonates with millennials. The discussion shifts to the blending of personal experiences with broader generational challenges in her storytelling. They also tackle the expectations around Rooney's political messages compared to her narrative style, questioning the role of literature in addressing societal issues.

This week is our summer books and films spectacular, full of recommendations of things to read and watch. First, Lilah is joined by literary editors Fred Studemann and Laura Battle to explore the FT's Summer Books special. They suggest a range of light summer reads, sharp non-fiction, deep dives, thrillers and classics to take on your summer holiday, and talk trends in book publishing. Then, deputy arts editor Raphael Abraham recommends the top films to look out for this summer. After watching 24 films in less than a week at the Cannes film festival, he's filtered the new releases down to a must-see list.--------------Tell us about your own favourite new books and films! We’ll share them alongside the episode on our social platforms. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------Here’s Laura’s list of the best fiction summer reads: ​​https://on.ft.com/3AvtuPg. The whole summer books special is at http://ft.com/summerbooks.Books mentioned:–Audiobooks: Bad Actors by Mick Herron and Ulysses by James Joyce–Novels that span centuries: To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel–Beach read: You Made a Fool of Death with your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi–Fun non-fiction: Circus of Dreams by John Walsh–Empire books: Legacy of Violence by Caroline Elkin and In the Shadow of the Gods by Dominic Lieven–BRussian influence: Putin’s People by Catherine Belton and Butler to the World by Oliver Bullough–AI simulation: The Anomaly by Hervé Le TellierStories mentioned: –Marriage in all its divine tedium: https://on.ft.com/3KXOBfm–Edward Luce on whether America is headed for another civil war: https://on.ft.com/3yJ43azFilms to watch this summer, from Raph:–Aftersun: https://on.ft.com/3uUt9lJ–Nitram: https://on.ft.com/3auhgvs–Hit the Road–McEnroe–Three Thousand Years of Longing: https://on.ft.com/3nMshLK–Elvis: https://on.ft.com/3P1Uaeu—-------------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.