Some people read books to escape. Others turn to them for instruction. As the new year looms, our correspondents – and listeners – consider which titles can help forecast what’s coming next. Picks include “Rainbows End” by Vernor Vinge, “Nuclear War” by Annie Jacobsen, “Not the End of the World” by Hannah Richie and “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey.

This is a full list of the books mentioned in the show:

“Rainbow’s End, A Deepness in the Sky and A Fire upon the Deep” by Vernor Vinge

“Ageless” by Andrew Steele

“War” by Bob Woodward

“Nuclear War: A Scenario” by Annie Jackobson

“1984” by George Orwell

“On Freedom and On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder

“A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers

“Qualityland” from Marc-Uwe Kling

“Ministry of the Future” by Kim Stanley Robinson

“Severance” by Ling Ma

“Land of Milk and Money” by C Pam Zhang

“The Broken Earth Trilogy” by NK Jemisin

“Not the End of the World" by Hannah Ritchie

“Orbital” by Samantha Harvey

“The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers

“Ancillary Justice” (The Imperial Rasch Series) by Ann Leckie

“The Battle of Dorking” by Sir George Chesney

“War of the Worlds" by HG Wells

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Cows produce far more milk in rich countries than in poor ones. Our correspondent explains how beefing up bovine productivity could feed more people and reduce planet-heating emissions. Why Spain is the best-performing rich-world economy of 2024 (11:28). And remembering Harold Palmer, the Northumbrian hermit (17:12).

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Is it a community-minded boys’ club, like the Scouts? A breeding ground for seething Hindu nationalism? A paramilitary puppetmaster of India’s governing elite? Our correspondent attends the annual bash of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. As Gulf countries diversify away from oil, their leaders are shifting their focus to science and innovation (11:03). And introducing our word of the year for 2024 (17:01).

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