Top 5 Books for June 2008
1. The Rough Guide to Cyprus by Marc Dubin
I'm dubious about trips to former British colonies. Why go to an ex empire address when you can see the same signage, shops and street life everyday in Britain? That said Cyrpus does have a fair amount going for it, namely the recent opening of the ‘border' between north and south. After the island became independent in 1974 residents took sides and two very separate societies developed between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The border was breached in 2003 with a little help from the UN and while things aren't completely hunky dory quite yet - if you have an EU Passport you can safely pass between the two areas. This Rough Guide will be essential in said passage and avoiding cultural faux pas.
The Rough Guide to Cyprus by Marc Dubin is published by Random House (paperback; £11.99). It is also available through Rough Guides website and all good booksellers.
2. Lonely Planet Croatia by Jeanne Oliver
Whether you're island hopping along the Dalmatian coast or land loving in the cities of Split, Zagreb and Dubrovnik, this guide will be a grand help. There's not too much to the islands and considering that they escaped the brunt of the 1992 conflict, there isn't a great deal of re-builds or cultural division. However this guide successfully delves beyond the modern media and exposes the centuries of occupation and the ties to Venice. Of course it's not as good as the resident experts - available for hire in mini Dubrovniks like Korcula, but as a point of reference it goes a long way. One thing it misses however is the discreet and off putting charges that permeate every room of Diocletian's Palace - in Split. £1 entry to see a tiny vault is just cheeky.
Lonely Planet Croatia by Jeanne Oliver is published by Lonely Planet (paperback; £12.99). It is also available through Lonely Planet website and all good booksellers.
3. The Aye Aye and I by Gerald Durrell
I had no idea what an Aye Aye was until I read this book. For similarly confused travellers an Aye Aye is a rather incredible creature with huge eyes and it hails from the island of Madagascar. This is where our author – Gerald Durrel first encountered said creature and decided to combat the danger of it vanishing - as slash and burn agriculture slowly destroyed its natural habitat. Gerald took the Aye Aye back to his breeding centre in the Channel Islands and started a mission of preservation. This book is the incredible tale of his island search, cars being thrown around by: “flurries of huge stones,” herds of Zebu and much more. I'm going to side with Sir David Attenborough in recommending this incredible adventurer and word smith to you.
The Aye Aye and I by Gerald Durrell is published by Summerdale (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through Amazon and all good booksellers.
4. Venice Pocket Guide by Berlitz
This brand is a new addition to the top five line up and it's a fair distance from the styles of big hitters – Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. This isn't a bad thing – it's just something new to try! As a rule Berlitz guides are rammed with festivals and events, on top of the usual where to go and what to do spiel. The Venice title is no exception and what I particularly like is the punchy style, the easily referenced check lists and the simple fact that this pocket guide – actually fits in your pocket, without making you look like you're superbly excited. Ahem. The useful expressions - pull out is also in a great place - easily accessible in times of international, mis-communicated emergency.
Venice Pocket Guide by Berlitz is published by Berlitz Publishing (paperback; £4.99). It is also available through Berlitz Publishing website and all good booksellers.
5. Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
This is a wonderfully dark book and when you get past the initial trauma of the first chapter you become inextricably involved in the fates, twists and general upheaval inflicted upon central character, Joe Rose. I won't spoil the story for you but it involves a balloon accident, an extreme bond based on a traumatic experience, De Clerambault's Syndrome, suicide averted with the use of violence and of course a love that endures all of this and keeps the story, and it's central characters alive. Be warned however. Do not undertake the absorption of this book lightly. It will make you cry in public, thereby eliciting strange looks from strangers.
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan by Ian McEwan is published by Random House (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through Random House website and all good booksellers.
- Rob Savage
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