Top 5 Books for November 2008
Meeting Mr Kim by Jennifer Barclay
If you've ever dreamed about falling in love, ditching the mundane yet addictive day job and following your new beau to the other side of the world on a whim, then you may enjoy relating to Jennifer Barclay's true life tale. Not satisfied with a successful publishing career in Canada, Jennifer follows her rock star boyfriend to Korea and while his band rock out in the lobby of a luxury hotel, she heads out to explore South Korea. This insight into Korean etiquette, national pride and a passionate history is quite frankly a refreshing reprieve from the Korean tales of cold war division, the nuclear aspirations of the north and the tourist tragedies along the border. It's hard to put down and includes a slightly tempting recipe for Kimchi a versatile side dish of fermented vegetables, also used in stew and rice. Wonderful.
Meeting Mr Kim by Jennifer Barclay is published by Summersdale (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
USA by Lonely Planet
This one got picked off the shelf after a spate of embarrassing encounters with backpacking Americans. Knowing next to nothing about the geography of Les Ιtats-Unis, I became a little exposed mid sentence when a question was raised about the location and make up of Tennessee. Thanks to this badger the next time the topic is brought up I can now retort that Tennessee is a southern state with a population of six million. Also Dolly Parton is from here and an old school, obscure law still operating in the area is this: It is illegal to fire a gun at any wild game other than whales from a moving vehicle. Who knew? You can check out a free chunk off this great guide in this month's Travel Book courtesy of Lonely Planet.
USA by Lonely Planet is published by Lonely Planet (paperback; £16.99). It is also available through lonelyplanet.co.uk and all good booksellers.
The Rough Guide to Greece
Other than pouring through Captain Corelli's Mandolin and getting into a shouting match with the TV about how bad the film adaptation is, I've never been to Greece and I didn't know that much about it. Thankfully this Rough Guide is a happy medium between the two and as far as I can tell none of it is fiction and there's no sign of Penelope bloody Cruz. A fun favourite fact that caught my eye can be found in the festival guide on page sixty. Did you know that every year on November 8, there's a feast in honour of Archangels Michael and Gabriel? This useful little guide also furnishes the reader with the Greek word for Holy Feast. I know you're on the edge of your seats so I'll put you out of your misery. It's Paniyiri.
The Rough Guide to Greece is published by Rough Guides (paperback; £15.99). It is also available through roughguides.com and all good booksellers.
Sex Tips For Husbands and Wives From 1894 by Ruth Smythers
Normally I laugh off pocket sized books like this as a novelty or a strategically placed, psychologically tempting impulse buy that you see at the shop counter when you go to pay. This publication however includes the following extract on its sleeve: "While sex is at best revolting and at worse rather painful, it has to be endured...One cardinal rule of marriage should never be forgotten: give little, give seldom and, above all, give grudgingly." This nineteenth century prudish approach to sex is akin to something you might see in a Little Britain sketch, which makes it alright by me. You may however be left feeling sorry for Ruth's husband The Reverend L.D. Smythers. Poor guy.
Sex Tips For Husbands and Wives From 1894 by Ruth Smythers is published by Summersdale (paperback; £2.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
QI: Advanced Banter by Stephen Fry, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
Witty one liners are like gold-dust in bars, at dinner parties and even dare I say it on dates. It's a shame therefore that the lines which that always stick in your mind are the tacky, over worked, I have nothing to declare except my . . . etc quotes - lines that everyone already knows. These won't impress anyone. However, the collection contained within these pages and filed away into 250 separate categories will. The book also serves up some great advice on how to deal with life's little challenges. Case in point how to respond to your child when their hamster dies. If that doesn't convince you then do a YouTube search for comedy genius Stephen Fry and the great TV show QI. Beautiful stuff.
QI: Advanced Banter by Stephen Fry, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson is published by Faber and Faber (paperback; £14.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
- Rob Savage
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