All you need to know about books at www.booksmonthly.co.uk                                                     Issue 4 July 2008

MAI PHAM: NEW FLAVOURS OF THE VIETNAMESE TABLE ~ A land of vibrant cultures and vivid contrasts, Vietnam is also home to some of the most delicious and intriguing food in the world. While its cooking traditions have been influenced by those of China, France, and even India, Vietnam has created a cuisine with a spirit and a flavour all its own. Travelling from region to region, Mai has gathered the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food today: with fresh and healthy dishes like green mango salad with grilled beef, easy stir-fried chicken with lemongrass and chillies, deliciously sweet and sour caramelized garlic shrimp and especially pho, the country's beloved beef-and-noodle soup. With more than 100 authentic recipes, "New Flavours of the Vietnamese Table" offers home cooks the chance to create and savour the authentic and irresistible flavours of Vietnam in their own kitchen.

DENISE PHILLIPS: NEW FLAVOURS OF THE JEWISH TABLE ~ Food has always played a crucial role in Jewish culture, with numerous celebratory feast days marking important occasions throughout the year. In her mouthwatering new collection of recipes, Denise Phillips shows how kosher cooking is not just for Jews, but has been a strong but unseen culinary influence all over the world. Inspired by the cuisine of Sephardi Jews from the Mediterranean and Middle East to the Ashkenzai Jews of cooler Eastern European climes, these recipes draw on the variety of flavours that comprise the global nature of Jewish food. With an evocative introduction to every recipe, Denise takes us from appealing appetisers such as Baba Ganoush, through Chicken, date and raisin tagine, Moroccan sweet potato stew and Stuffed Aubergine with cous cous to delectable desserts like Chocolate macaroon cake and Dutch apple pie.Informed by Denise's skills as a cookery teacher, this charming book provides easy-to-cook and elegantly simple dishes that will entice everyone - from Jews who follow a strict Kosher diet, to anyone wanting tasty and healthy food.

ANDREW COLLINS: THAT'S ME IN THE CORNER ~ Fast approaching his fortieth birthday, Andrew is cornered at a family gathering by the nine-year-old son of his brother-in-law's sister. Having seen him as a talking head on TV, the boy asks, 'What are you?' It is a question so frank and simple that Andrew doesn't have an immediate answer to hand. So, with hilarious self-deprecation, he sets out to retrace how he got to where he is today. Seventeen precarious jobs in seventeen years: from trolley collector at Sainsbury's to high-flying film critic sipping cocktails with Will Smith and Jerry Bruckheimer on a yacht in Cannes.This is Andrew's tale of rubbing shoulders with the world's biggest stars: pissing off Christini Ricci, having his hairstyle mocked by Noel Gallagher, trying not to wake Clive James from his afternoon nap, having his apple pie eaten by Bob Geldof, and somehow stumbling into the next dream job. Along the way, he's been the world's worst gossip columnist, an almost-hip young gunslinger at the NME, a Radio 1 DJ (enduring a hellish Radio 1 roadshow in a car park in Birmingham), an ITV presenter, EastEnders scriptwriter, ghost writer for a major TV personality and much, much more. It charts a world of hedonism, mundanity, towering egos, shallow idiocy and occasional moments of mind-blowing joy. And, of course, being sent shit in a box.

JON KATZ: A DOG YEAR ~ When Jon Katz takes in a young troubled border collie, his calm, sedate life will never be the same again. Jon and his wife live in a New Jersey suburb with two perfectly behaved Labradors. Then into the mix comes Devon, who creates havoc from the moment he arrives at the airport, when it takes Jon, two baggage handlers and three police officers to track him down after he escapes. Jon learns the hard way how to encourage Devon to behave. But amongst the difficulties of their first year together, Jon discovers his life is enlivened by a creature with so much mischievousness and joie de vivre. In fact, Jon finds that he is to change as much as Devon. By turns insightful, hilarious and deeply moving, "A Dog Year" is a delightful true story of the age-old bond between man and dog.

PATRICK TOUHER: SCARS THAT RUN DEEP ~ Leaving his abusive Irish boarding school after eight long years, Patrick Touher thought his troubles were over. But the adult world was a dangerous place for a naive adolescent. From the Dublin Catholic boys' home to arriving alone in London, again Patrick is seen as easy prey. Yet Patrick's strength, honesty and sense of humour never left him. The boy they couldn't break, fought back, and eventually found love and a family. But the shadow of his early years was always with him. With the encouragement of his wife - a constant witness to his traumatic nightmares - Patrick set about taking the Christian Brother to task. The eagerly awaited sequel to bestseller "Fear of the Collar" that doesn't disappoint, "Scars that Run Deep" is a deeply moving and ultimately triumphant true story.

CHARLES MARTIN: WHERE THE RIVER ENDS ~ 'Nobody fights forever, so I prepared myself for two battles. The first was fighting alongside her. We've done that. As well as two can. But, as the years have ticked by, I've seen a second front coming - and it's the tougher of the two. Abbie might still be swinging but she was beat. To be honest, I think she was still in the ring fighting, simply for me. Lately, the thing that had been keeping me up nights was wondering what would happen if I told her that she could let her guard down - that she could stop fighting. What if she was just waiting on me?'Doss Michaels and Abbie Colman should never have met let alone fallen in love. As the only child of South Carolina's most senior senator, Abbie's father had wanted better for her than Doss, who grew up in a trailer park next to the St Mary's river. Abbie and Doss had married quickly and secretly, returning to face her parents' objections that haven't faded even after over fourteen years of marriage. But now Abbie and Doss are coming to the end of the road. Diagnosed with breast cancer four years before, Abbie's case is now terminal and they've run out of options. Rather than letting Abbie spend her final days in a cold, sterile hospital room, Doss packs their bags and steals away with her in the middle of the night. They carry with them Abbie's 'wish list' - ten things she wants to do before she dies. The wishes are simple, normal; because after four years of non-stop invasive medical treatments, 'normal' is a fleeting memory.Along with taking a final trip with Doss on the river that holds so many memories for them both, Abbie wants to dance with her husband, drink wine on a beach, laugh until it hurts. But as they head for river's end, racing against weather and time, Abbie's father, the press and the police are determined to find them and bring Abbie home...

GILES BOLTON: AID AND OTHER DIRTY BUSINESS ~ Do you know why Africa is so poor? What really happens to your aid money? Why trade rules fail African countries and yet cost you too? We've heard it all before: the corrupt leaders, heartless global corporations, the wicked World Bank. But the answers are much closer to home...and so are the solutions. When Giles Bolton began working in the world of aid and development, he travelled to Africa convinced that he could solve problems, save villages and sing songs with the locals under a shimmering sunset. The reality proved rather less romantic, and far more shocking..."Aid and Other Dirty Business" is a radical, brilliantly readable and totally original approach to an unending problem. It may change your life, but, more important, it will help you change the lives of others.

DANNY WALLACE: FRIENDS LIKE THESE ~ Danny Wallace is about to turn thirty and his life has become a cliche. Recently married and living in a smart new area of town, he's swapped pints down the pub for lattes and brunch. For the first time in his life, he's feeling, well ...grown-up. But something's not right. Something's missing. Until he finds an old address book containing just twelve names. His best mates as a kid. Where are they now? Who are they now? And how are they coping with being grown-up too? And so begins a journey from A-Z, tracking down and meeting his old gang. He travels from Berlin to Tokyo, from Sydney to LA. He even goes to Loughborough. He meets Fijian chiefs. German rappers. Some ninjas. And a carvery manager who's managed to solve time travel. But how will they respond to a man they haven't seen in twenty years, turning up and asking if they're coming out to play?Part-comedy, part-travelogue, part-memoir, "Friends Like These" is the story of what can happen when you track down your past, and of where the friendships you thought you'd outgrown can take you today.

MICHAEL WOOD: THE STORY OF INDIA ~ In "The Story of India", Michael Wood weaves a spellbinding narrative out of the 10,000-year history of the subcontinent. Home today to more than a fifth of the world's population, India gave birth to the oldest and most influential civilization on Earth, to four world religions, and to the world's largest democracy. Now, as India bids to become a global economic giant, Michael sets out on an epic journey across this vibrant country to trace the roots of India's present in the incredible riches of her past. "The Story of India" is a magical mixture of history and travelogue, and an unforgettable portrait of India - past, present and future.

TIME OUT FLIGHT-FREE EUROPE ~ As concerns grow about global warming and more people look for holidays closer to home, Time Out has put together a selection of inspirational trips to Europe (and sometimes beyond!) that won't cost you or the planet a single air mile. Europe's railway system is getting faster and sleeker, and now that Eurostar trains depart from St Pancras, with great connections to the north of the UK, continental destinations are more accessible than ever before. You can get to Paris in two hours 15 minutes, Brussels in under two hours and Strasbourg and Cologne in under five. By 2010, Europe will have 4,000 miles of high-speed lines - and some very boutique-y sleeper cars, making plane-free holidays a realistic and stress-free alternative to air travel. But "Flight-Free Europe" isn't just a railway guide.It also includes trips by boat - including the new cruise-style ferries - bicycle and motorbike, even car (now hire companies are offering greener options), covering a variety of destinations from classic cities to undiscovered countryside. For each, we give a selection of the best places to sleep, eat and experience, and some great ideas for side trips. There are also activity breaks and a section of longer journeys to undertake for their own sake, bringing back the idea of the Grand Tour and rescuing the romance of travel.This book snapshots journey time: Under two hours - city breaks in Brussels and Dublin; cycling in Pas de Calais; wilderness hiking in the Orkneys. An easy day - city breaks in Marseilles, Cologne and Lyons; wine-tasting along the Rhone; best of Brittany. Overnighters - city breaks in Toulouse, Turin and Barcelona; touring the Canal du Midi on a peniche; exploring Spain's Picos de Europa. Grand tours - Scottish Isles and Iceland; Orient Express; Baltic ferry-hopping; yachting in Croatia; Trans-Siberian Express; Stavanger, European City of Culture 2008, and the Norwegian fjords.

KERRY COHEN: LOOSE GIRL ~ There is a new boy I like. I see him every other day when our classes let out at the same time. He has long, dark hair and unbelievably beautiful eyes. Almost immediately I can feel the energy between us, the promise of something to come.' Kerry first noticed the power she had over the opposite sex at the age of eleven. By the time she was in her teens she was obsessed by boys, and soon she needed sex just to feel alive. Sleeping with countless partners, Kerry's misguided search for love was getting out of hand. But would she ever find what she really needed?

JULIAN CLARY: MURDER MOST FAB ~ Hello, I'm Johnny Debonair and this is my book - "Murder Most Fab". Buy it. You won't regret it. Everything that has happened so publicly is explained. Of course, I'd prefer it if you remember me as I was at my height, before the past caught up with me so spectacularly - TV's Mr Friday Night with an enviable lifestyle and the nation at my feet. My fame might have looked easy to you at the time, but getting to the top of the celebrity ladder is hard work. It took talent, beauty, commitment and, uniquely in my case, a number of unfortunate deaths. If we were being picky you might describe me as a serial killer, but I really don't see myself that way. It sounds trite to say 'one thing led to another' but it's true.As you'll discover I owe something of my rise and my fall to three individuals: my mother, an eccentric country girl who taught me exhibitionism by hanging naked from the clocktower of Hythe town hall; Catherine, my best friend, then partner in business - a devil in red heels, who, in her clear Essex accent, taught me how to 'look after number one'; and, Timothy, who broke my heart and caused me to seek refuge in sex, money and celebrity. But in the end you have to take responsibility for your own actions. No one was forcing me, were they? I hope you, the public, can forgive me and enjoy this sordid tale for what it is - my final entertainment for you.

NICHOLAS GUYATT: HAVE A NICE DOOMSDAY ~ Journeying to the dusty heartlands of America's Bible Belt, Nicholas Guyatt goes in search of the truth behind a startling statistic: 50 million Americans believe the apocalypse will take place in their own lifetimes. They're convinced that, any day now, Jesus will snatch up his followers and spirit them to heaven. For the rest of us, things are going to get very nasty indeed: massive earthquakes, devastating wars, not to mention the terrifying rise of the Antichrist. But true believers aren't just sitting around waiting for the Rapture. They're getting involved in debates over abortion, gay rights and even foreign policy.Are they devout or deranged? Why do they seem so cheerful about the end of the world? And, given the disturbing involvement of a leading presidential candidate, does their influence stretch beyond the Bible Belt ...perhaps even to the White House? Strange, funny and unsettling in equal measure, "Have a Nice Doomsday" uncovers the apocalyptic obsession at the heart of the world's only superpower.

MARK LEVINE: MONSTER TORNADO ~ It was April 3, 1974 and the United States was in turmoil. Crime was soaring, unemployment and inflation were out of control, the Vietnam War had just come to a demoralising end and the soon-to-be-disgraced President Nixon was on his way out of office. Then, over a sixteen-hour period, nature stepped forward with its own display of mayhem, as an unprecedented outbreak of 148 tornadoes descended on the country. The destruction wrought was horrifying - hundreds killed, thousands of homes demolished, a billion dollars in losses sustained. Amidst this chaos, acclaimed journalist Mark Levine follows the devastating path of a twin set of F5s - the rarest, and most deadly, category of tornado, and their impact on a rich cast of intertwined characters.Ordinary lives are transformed in one bewildering, terrifying instant: a pair of teenage lovers caught while driving on a dark country road; a Vietnam veteran trapped at home with a newborn baby; a sheriff caught in the line of fire twice in rapid succession; and, a black preacher with a past of dire hardship struggling to protect his family. Other figures enter the story from the broader cultural scene: Hank Aaron, on his way to challenging baseball's home run record amid racist death threats; Patty Hearst, whose image as kidnapping victim is undergoing a radical shift; Richard Nixon, intent on using the storms for his political advantage; and, a memorably eccentric scientist, known as Mr Tornado, who regards the 'Superoutbreak' as the apotheosis of his scholarly life."Monster Tornado" provides a vivid and remarkable portrait of a unique point in American history - a time of incredible and unsettling convergence, where weather and people collided, and the fortunes of a series of characters, obscure and famous, would change forever.

J W RINZLER: THE MAKING OF STAR WARS ~ George Lucas spent nearly ten years bringing his dream project to life: a ground-breaking space fantasy movie. Its original title: "The Star Wars". The rest is history. Yet its production is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie itself. Now, recounted in the words of those who were there, it is finally being told, for the first time. Between 1975 and 1978, over fifty interviews were conducted with key members of cast and crew - George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, composer John Williams, legendary production designer John Barry amongst many others. Remarkably, these candid and revelatory interviews have sat, undisturbed, in the Lucasfilm Archives for three decades. Until now.Using his unprecedented access to the archives and this treasure trove of never-before-published 'lost' interviews, photographs, production notes, factoids and anecdotes, J.W. Rinzler hurtles back in time for a definitive look at the genesis of a cinematic legend. A true story of human endeavour and creativity, "The Making of Star Wars" reveals exactly what it took to produce one of the most outstanding and innovative films of all time.

BEN OKRI: STARBOOK ~ "Starbook" tells the tale of a prince and a maiden in a mythical land where a golden age is ending. Their fragile story considers the important questions we all face, exploring creativity, wisdom, suffering and transcendence in a time when imagination still ruled the world. A magnificent achievement and a modern-day parable, "Starbook" offers a vision of life far greater than ourselves.

TIME OUT BUENOS AIRES ~ Buenos Aires, the cultural highlight on many trips to South America, is changing like never before. Every week new boutique hotels, restaurants, secret bars, art galleries and designer shops open in a blur of champagne and cocktails. The terraces of football stadiums heave with passionate fanatics of world-class teams such as Boca Juniors, while in the dimly lit halls of the city's old quarter, couples, in sensual embrace, dance the tango. Visitors to this city can participate in every aspect of Buenos Aires. It is a thrilling place, full of the unexpected, and occasionally bewildering. And over the last eight years, "Time Out Buenos Aires" has become a favourite for visitors looking for the most up-to-date information, the latest cultural trends and insightful investigations written by journalists who live this city everyday.

TIME OUT SYDNEY ~ Sydney's laidback outdoor lifestyle has always drawn tourists from all over the world for a bit of seaside "R&R", but thanks to a new influx of bill-topping locals, the Emerald City is now pulling as many culture vultures as beach bums. Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett has returned to her hometown to take over as joint Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company with playwright husband Andrew Upton and plans to launch the theater into a new green age, and the gleaming Sydney Opera House has recently achieved UNESCO World Heritage status. Sydney is no longer a colonial backwater, but a chosen destination to discover some of the world's leading restaurants and signature chefs, innovative young fashion designers and ground-breaking gay performance nightclubs.

Books Monthly (formerly Gateway Monthly) is published by Paul Edmund Norman on the first day of each month. You can contact me via e-mail at: editor@booksmonthly.co.uk. If you'd like to get a story published in Books Monthly just e-mail it to me and I'll consider it - no payment though, I'm afraid!