Like a weird World Almanac. Who might kidnap you in Chechnya or decapitate you in Liberia? How to avoid being shot in the head in Colombia. Fascinating if not especially useful for armchair adventurers like me.

I loved the book. Mary manages to impart a lot of scientific knowledge while never quite losing her “holy crap, I’m sitting here with a dead guy” attitude. She’s very very funny, but never disrespectful. So many of the situations she finds herself in while researching the book are just inherently strange and therefore ready to be mined for black black humour.

Engrossing and superbly-written. Much more colourful and exciting than the movie.

I finished the book, but this was a huge disappointment for me. Irving, usually hitting them out of the park, weakly pops one up here.

After visiting Poland this summer, I’m intensely interested in the Second World War again. This should be fascinating…

Though I’m not involved directly in the second Virtual Book Tour, I’m happy to plug Dennis’ book. It’s hilarious, and reminds me of the monthly “screening parties” that Brooke and I hold. I think we need more gay representation, though. Those folk sure are funny!

Still obsessed with war history and this pulls back to take a look at the whole sorry century.

Ah, finally! A readable (no, let me rephrase that: a well-written) book on 20th-century history. This really brings the personalities of the day to life. I’m savouring it!

This finally came out in cheap paperback and I thought I’d give it a go.

A Christmas gift from my friend Paul.