The Labours of Love; The Courage to Care; The Care Manifesto review – our compassion crisis in focus
Madeleine Bunting and Christie Watson bring personal experience to bear on heartbreaking studies of the UK’s ailing care system
When comfort reading won’t cut it: books to restore hope in humanity
From Man’s Search for Meaning to a celebration of life in the face of death, Cathy Rentzenbrink picks the books that confirm her faith in people
Mulan: why it was a missed opportunity to create a strong Asian woman on screen
In casting waif-like Liu Yifei in its live-action remake, Disney squandered its chance to show a Chinese audience that girls can be both beautiful and tough
Room to breathe – how we entered the golden age of the balcony
Through lockdown, balconies went from an often forgotten outdoor cupboard to a joyful escape pod for millions, with plant pot jungles and love affairs taking root. Now developers are catching up
Coronavirus has left most of us embracing baggy bliss – so why are celebrities arguing over shapewear?
Kim Kardashian West, Jameela Jamil and Chrissy Teigen are having a three-way altercation about control pants and pregnancy, says Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi
The wellness realm has fallen into conspiritualism – I have a sense why
There is a reason behind the collision of new age ‘light and love’ and the conspiratorial world of QAnon, writes Sarah Wilson
The best books to inspire compassion
From Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life to a manifesto by Elif Shafak … Christie Watson explores kindness and courage in the face of suffering
No Fixed Abode by Maeve McClenaghan review – how rough sleepers die
A meticulous investigation exposes the shameful truths surrounding the UK’s homeless population
The Shift by Sam Baker review – funny, frank and empowering
Although this ‘menopause memoir’ doesn’t break new ground it is still vital reading