Off the Shelf
IN his work as a clinical professor of neurology Oliver Sacks, author of Awakenings, has met a collection of people who live lives with a difference. Some have been born with special gifts or disorders; others have arrived as a result of accidents. In An Anthropologist on Mars (Picador $85), his latest work now in paperback, he relates the stories of seven extraordinary individuals. One has a phenomenal talent for detailed drawing of scenes glimpsed years ago in his hometown, another, a Tourette's Syndrome sufferer, which among other things leads to involuntary twitching, is a highly-skilled surgeon. Sacks explores their worlds and how they cope with living with the rest of us.
On Secret Service East of Constantinople (OUP $136) finds Peter Hopkirk turning his attention to the attempt by the Germans and the Turks in 1914 to cause havoc in British India and Central Asia. The aim: to dominate the international arena. Secret agents, spies and skulduggery abound.
Salman Rushdie's short story collection, East West (Vintage $60) is also out in paperback. Three stories from each direction and three which are cross-cultural make up the work.
Flying in to catch the hype is Peter David's novelisation of the screenplay Batman Forever (Warner $85). Here the caped crusader is joined by his faithful sidekick Robin to fight the combined evil forces of a disfigured villain known as Two-Face and the Riddler over the course of 245 pages. Colour pictures from the film included.
Rob Roy by Donald McFarlan (Headline $68) is another film spin-off about a hardy battler but this one only last out for 181 pages of large type. The novel of the screenplay, set in the 18th century, relates the story of Scotland's rebel hero, driven to a life outside the law by the wicked ways of the landed gentry.
Geoff Burch, otherwise known as the Sales Coach, has words of advice for anyone wanting to verbally twist someone's arm to ensure their deal succeeds or employers see the wisdom of their ways. In Resistance Is Useless: The Art of Business Persuasion (Headline $85), he offers tips and anecdotes on how to make people want what you want them to want and explains how being a good listener can be as important as being a smooth talker.
Before you get to selling however, it is useful to have something to market. This is where Eureka! The Book of Inventing by Bob Symes and Robin Bootle (Headline $102) could come in handy. The two authors provide a step-by-step guide to the world of innovation starting with encouraging words on becoming an inventor and building up to the patent system, where to find help and what to do when things go wrong. However, the contents are heavily British-oriented.
For those in search of the more peaceful sights which the territory has to offer, Hong Kong Pathfinder by Martin Williams (Asia 2000 $88) provides 21 walks covering Hong Kong, Kowloon, the New Territories and the outlying islands. The shortest ramble is three kilometres, the longest, 15 kilometres. Outings include a cross-island walk on Lamma, trips to Lantau Peak and Fan Lau, the Bride's Pool nature trail near Tai Po and Ng Tung Chai waterfall close to Tai Mo Shan. Colour pictures and sketch maps included.
Last week's round-up should have been labelled Horror by Winnie Chung and not Children's Books by Katherine Forestier. Apologies for any confusion.
