The collected journalism of the late Alexander Cockburn, A Colossal Wreck: A Road Trip Through Political Scandal, Corruption, and American Culture (Verso) is sardonic, fearless and prescient commentary on US politics and culture from 1994 to 2012.

From one of the best contemporary writers of fiction, Dirty Love by Andre Dubus (WW Norton) is an utterly absorbing novella on the nature of intimacy and love. Immensely moving and universally true.

The Brothers by Stephen Kinzer (Times Books) is a disturbing and riveting account of the siblings John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles, once the embodiment of cold-war supremacy, who consolidated the notion of American exceptionalism through corporate political and media power. This ruthless duo left behind a devastating and shameful legacy that continues to resonate in global politics.

Next: Miriam O'Callaghan's books of the year