‘This crisis has not changed the values that have guided the Guardian for 200 years. What it has produced is a new conviction that making connections really matters – not only with each other, but ones that help us understand how the world works. The pandemic showed everyone how interconnected we all are, and yet how separate – atomised, and yet all fighting the same virus.’ – Katharine Viner in her foreword In its 200-year history, the Guardian has borne witness to many turbulent events. The recent dramas of Brexit, Trump and even Covid-19 are mere diversions compared to two world wars. But it’s fair to say that as we emerge from the turbulence of the last few years – have we truly emerged? – society has been profoundly changed. As ever, the Guardian’s writers have helped to make sense of the new reality. Whether it’s Arundhati Roy on the horrors of India’s suffering and the political faultlines the pandemic has exposed, Laura Barton on the joys of long-distance friendship in lockdown, Ramin Rahman Qatar’s extraordinary account of his escape from Afghanistan, or Grace Dent on the importance of the egg mayo sandwich at funerals, this collection of the best journalism of the past 12 months showcases the wit, intelligence and warmth for which the Guardian is famous.