The book sale is slowing down a bit, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to rave about some of the items on offer - not just for the purposes of flogging them, but because they really are worth a read.

• The Gringo Trail by Mark Mann seems like another on-the-road twenty-something travelogue of a trip around South America. And it is, mostly. Except with a painful twist. When I got this book, I picked it up on the strength of having met loads of people on the gringo trail when I was living in Bolivia, and travelling through other parts of South America. After reading a few chapters, it occurred to me that it was vaguely possible that I had actually met the people involved in this particular travelogue. Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t - but the ending shocked the hell out of me all the same.
• Up North: Travels Beyond the Watford Gap by Charles Jennings irritated the hell out of me. His smug southern style seemed to indicate that he was amazed to discover that people north of London had inside bathrooms and soap. After a while of reading it with irritation, it occured that maybe this was his schtick. Blind bigotry disguised as comedy? In any case, I didn’t finish it - but P did, and tells me with authority that the guy is “an arse”.
• Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith is a bit of an anomaly. It was recommended to me by someone a few years ago and, trying to understand more about the man who made the recommendation, I dutifully picked up a copy and devoured it. It didn’t illuminate things at all, but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying the book itself, which is not my usual cup of tea at all. Never been a big fan of science fiction books, but this was easier to consume - not so heavy on the fantasy, more focus on the story and the characters and the technology. The book lasted longer and was more enjoyable by far than my quasi-relationship with the man who recommended it.
• Maid of the Mist by Colin Bateman is a complete mystery. In 1999 I was living in Putney, south west London. One morning, there was a knock at the front door. I answered it, and received from the postman a package of six pristine books with dayglo covers, all signed by the author, one Colin Bateman. With them was a slip from The Guardian congratulating me on winning. I have no memory of entering any such competition. I read the books all the same, and enjoyed this one the most.
• Below the Breadline: Living on the Minimum Wage by Fran Abrams was a relatively recent purchase, spurred on by her article in the Guardian Weekend of a few months beforehand. A very interesting account of her attempts in three locations to survive on the minimum wage - £4.10 at the time of publishing (though at the end of the year it’s due to go up to £4.50, apparently). This amazes me because when I was living in Edinburgh, aged 19, between college and university, I worked in a cafe for £2 an hour. I have no idea how I survived at all.