I’m doing the Edinburgh fringe at full-term pregnancy – and not just because I’d paid the deposit

Pregnancy is a privilege but is also weird, awkward and difficult. The cathartic nature of standup helps us consider the confusion of imminent parenthood

Frankie Thompson and Liv Ello: Body Show review – a total takedown of gendered expectations

Using snippets of pop culture, lip-syncing, video and clowning, the pair craft a rich exploration of eating disorders and gender dysphoria

A moment that changed me: I was outraged by the risks facing my children – so we moved to the country

Black Caribbean people born in the UK have a higher chance of schizophrenia, and city life is a factor. So when a chance came to live in Somerset, I leapt at it

Marlena Spieler obituary

Writer of more than 70 cookbooks, whose love of the cuisines of Mexico and Italy kept her on a perpetual hunt for delicious meals

Doom busters: why some things aren’t (quite) as bad as we think

We live in worrying times. From the climate crisis to the culture wars, there is always something to keep us fretting. But sometimes the facts tell a different story – a more hopeful one. Here, we speak to experts in search of some optimism and find 13 reasons to be a little more cheerful

Under the Knife by Dr Liz O’Riordan review – cancer from both sides

A breast surgeon is diagnosed with the cancer in which she specialises in this frank memoir of illness and recovery

The Country of the Blind review – a penetrating study of the loss of sight

Andrew Leland’s thoughtful, beautifully expressed memoir about losing his eyesight invites us to rethink ideas about identity and independence

Don’t fret, neurotics – there are advantages to worrying

Negative mental chatter and anxious fantasies may not be all bad – they could bring benefits such as greater creativity and better health

‘You’ll have more empathy, you’ll have more fun’: the man who wants to transform our relationship with sleep

From snoring to shift work, Russell Foster explains the myths and misconceptions that get in the way of a well-rested society

Top 10 books about awakenings

These moments of precious fresh awareness can be found in authors from Oliver Sacks to Ottessa Moshfegh and Franz Kafka

OurChemist

Our Chemist – Health