Recommended Books

Tired and Emotional: The Life of Lord George Brown by Peter Paterson, Chatto, pounds 20. Entertaining biography of the politician who had a great thirst and a small conscience. Review by Jeremy Paxman, 15 May.

Dr Haggard's Disease by Patrick McGrath, Viking, pounds 14.99. Enigmatic, twisted love story set in pre-Blitz London. Review by Anthony Quinn, 8 May.

Mr Mani by A B Yehoshua, Peter Halban, pounds 15.99. Impressive novel that describes 100 years in the history of a Jewish family. Winner of the Independent foreign fiction award for March / April. Review by Wendy Brandmark, 17 April.

Greetings from Earth by Scott Bradfield, Picador, pounds 14.99. A delightful collection of stories by 'the Raymond Carver of the crystal-healing set'. Review by Eva Salzman, 15 May.

A Place of Fallen Leaves by Tim Pears, Hamish Hamilton, pounds 14.99. Unusually strong debut novel set in a sleepy Devon village. Review by Kate Basset, 27 March.

Never Again by Peter Hennessy, Cape, pounds 20. A lengthy, stirring and evocative history of Britain in the postwar years, and a lament for lost hopes; winnner on Thursday of the pounds 25,000 NCR Award for non-fiction.