Books of March

#13 Iain Pattinson "Lyttleton's Britain - A User Guide to the British Isles"
Lots of fun, as befits something that is by Iain Pattinson and has Humph's name in the title. Some bits were laugh out loud funny, some just creep up on you. Also, photo captions!

#14 Paul McAuley "400 Billion Stars"
This was the book I shouted at a lot. It starts very intriguing and I wish the author had kept it up. The casual misogynism is explained within the context of the world. However, the main character was requested to the situation because of her talent (which is telepathy and empathy) and then none of the other characters believe a word she says, and then have the background of special schools and training facilities for people with talent. I get the "fish out of water"-concept, but this doesn't ring true.
The main character's past history is occasionally flashed back to, but you don't get the feeling that it really informs the character today. The other characters get little background (although I will concede that they are well portrayed and come alive on the page, which is probably what kept me reading), and when they do get background, it comes late in the book when you've already formed an image of them in your mind, and then it jars. The final conflict is almost resolved by the main character, but then the situation is taken out of her hands, leaving me dissatisfied with the resolution.
In the end, in my opinion the author's talent saves a convoluted story. I would have wished for less convulsions, though.

#15 Rob Grant "Fat"
I wish I knew why this was sitting in the Science Fiction section, because it is firmly set in present-day UK, and also, many people who should read this won't because it is "Science Fiction". But oh dear, this should probably be read by everyone who has ever had a diet, or felt overweight, or was envious of the slim people.
The book follows the story of three very different people - an overweight TV cook, a schoolgirl on a perpetual diet, and an advertising genius who is hired by the government to market a "Fat Farm", a place designed to discourage eating and encourage healthy behaviour. The fact that even the advertising genius struggles to avoid comparisons to concentration and labour camps is telling.
Within the very entertaining storyare facts - facts like the body mass index lie, epidemiology, how data is skewed towards the results that are wished for, and much, much more, all presented in a fresh and readable way. The three storylines are woven together seamlessly in the end, and the end made me slightly teary-eyed.
Funny, intelligent, involving. Totally recommended.