1. Judging a book by its lover Lauren Leto
“The iPad and Kindle are swiftly taking away our ability to instantly judge people by their choice of reading material in public places...” laments the author of this slightly frivolous yet entertaining guide to understanding a person’s character by their literary taste. Bibliophile Leto has found her life constantly directed by books, even meeting one boyfriend in a book store. No doubt it was this experience that influenced the chapter titled, ‘Ten Rules For Bookstore Hook-ups’, which expounds on the innumerable topics of conversation at one’s disposal when browsing the shelves (did you know that The Virgin Suicides is the most shoplifted book in America? Now there’s a winning chat-up line!). In the chapter ‘Stereotyping People By Their Favourite Author’, she sums readers up with pithy one liners. Ernest Hemingway fans, she says, are ‘Men Who Own Cottages.’ Um, not this one, Lauren. Dh64, Kinokuniya Book World
2. Penelope Rebecca Harrington
A novel called Penelope by a woman called Rebecca might normally be spurned by alpha.’s fastidious book police – we send chick-lit straight to jail here – but this lives up to the blurb’s claim that it possesses the sly humour of a Wes Anderson movie. Harrington’s debut is a sparkling work of comedy. Dh60, amazon.com
3. Stories For Nighttime And Some For The Day Ben Loory
From monsters lurking in urban swimming pools to extra-terrestrial encounters in restaurants, the 39 stories here are redolent of the absurdist work of Etgar Keret and will probably put a crazy spin on your dreams if you dare to read them before bed time. Dh59, Kinokuniya Book World
4. Bestseller Alessandro Gallenzi
Set in the cut-throat world of British book publishing, Gallenzi – owner of a small press himself – has conjured up a compellingly shambolic character in Jim Talbot, a hapless writer who has faced constant demoralising rejection in his efforts to get published. A funny satire on the often murky publishing world. Dh52, Kinokuniya Book World
5. And Now We Shall Do Manly Things Craig J Heimbuch
The author was in his thirties when he joined the annual family pheasant hunt. He embraced hunting culture to learn what it means to put food on the table in the old-fashion sense and understand his family’s legacy. Dh50, amazon.com
