This is a wonderful book. Elegant, eloquent and prescient. Published in 1957 it is more than science fiction, it raises issues that trouble us today. I had not expected it to be so well written, with many wonderful references. He terrified us as children with The Day of The Triffids on the radio. I’m happy to find him still just as entertaining.

The fictional confessions of a Vietnamese spy, evacuated to America in the fall of Saigon and then returned to his former side, who are of course far worse. Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Beautifully written and gripping novel.

A 1941 wartime paperback edition which says it’s from “Maigret to the Rescue.” I wish I could have a new Maigret every week.

A fascinating and extraordinary tale about how the North Korean film obsessed madman Kim Jung-Il kidnapped not only the leading film actress from South Korea but also her Top Film Director Husband, held them locked up for years then brought them together and made them make films! A hard to credit real true story and a great look at the monomaniacal locked-in State where fear rules all.

A wonderful Western tale from 1968, given me by Jeremy Clarke. I devoured it. Do you ever get to that point when you find yourself reading four books at once and not committed to any of them, but keep switching in a random fashion between them. Then you go Fuck It I'm going to stop this and look for something I'm really committed to. Sometimes I can't tell if it’s me or if it's the books. Here are some I'm leaving by the wayside in a quest for something gripping.

I’ve been reading this one for years. In parts fascinating, but it mixes somewhat dry academic literary criticism with tales of the far more exciting life of Marlowe, so it's somewhat annoying, unless you are studying for a degree.

The hilarious story of the South Pacific islanders (Vanuatu) who worshipped the Duke of Edinburgh. Funny, and odd, but could have been shorter I think.

I was enjoying this too. But he switched styles and became all modernist and I got fed up.

I really liked the essay on the most beautiful truck in the world, and even the French Navigation School, but got a bit tired on the barges of the Illinois river. I shall dip again as I think he is amazing.