The American
BOOK REVIEWS The Globetrotter Diaries
Michael Clinton Glitterati Incorporated, Hardback, 258 pages $30 ISBN 978-0-9851696-6-4 To say this is a collection of articles about Michael Clinton’s very broad travel experiences (he is the publishing director of Hearst Publishing and has visited over 120 countries), makes this book sound a little dry. However, the tagline ‘Tales, tips and tactics for traveling the 7 continents’ is no idle threat. Clinton’s compact, informative and very readable articles are punctuated by pages of tips from other frequent travelers such as Laureen Ong of Travel Channel and Kate White, former Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan. Clinton’s own (many) chapters range from pure travelogues (‘Stranded’ parts one and two and ‘Excuse me, have you seen Indiana Jones’) to nuts-and-bolts advice (‘The A to Z of Globetrotting’, ‘If you like it, buy it’) and those that fall between (‘What to do if you leave something on a plane’, which delivers bullet-pointed lessons learned from his experience after a flight from JFK to LAX). Clinton’s very personable words promote a see-what-happens adventuring spirit instead of just collecting Air Miles, but those of us whose travel experience doesn’t stretch more than resetting our watches by a few hours and standing by the baggage carousel can at least read The Globetrotter Diaries and dream of being bolder. Next time you want a holiday read, forget the latest Dan Brown and pick this up instead. You’ll be no less entertained and a whole lot more informed. – Elena Erickson
42 April 2013
Normal for Norfolk
Mitzi Szereto Thelonious T. Bear Books, Paperback, 186 pages, RRP £7.05 ISBN 9781478177449 A photojournalist in a Mini quits London for what he expects to be the sleepy Norfolk countryside. “We don’t get murders round here” comments the local inspector, despite increasing evidence to the contrary. So begins a rural crime novel I found approachable and engaging, featuring an oddly detached hero who just happens to be a small bear. Thoughts of Paddington and Ted are inevitable, though coincidental (however be warned, the language is in places unashamedly adult). I’m not entirely sure what Thelonious T Bear’s ursinity adds to the story (my advice: just go with it) but it did accentuate his role as a self-conscious ‘outsider’. I did wish the furry protagonist was less of an outsider to the main plot, though – he travels more in parallel – but perhaps subsequent installments of what is promised to be a series will reconnect him with interesting peripheral characters from this first outing and drive him deeper into events. I enjoyed my visit to Norfolk and I could certainly bear another outing (sorry!) – Elena Erickson
Atlas of History’s Greatest Military Victories
Jeremy Harwood Icon Books, Paperback, 224 pages, £12.99 ISBN 9781848315785 Subtitled ‘The 50 most significant moments explored in words and maps’, this is a tidy little book. Too tidy. The maps, well-rendered, are of variable complexity, fleetingly conveying the stages of conflict. The definition of ‘victory’ is broad, sometimes equating to engagements (Blenheim), sometimes eras (The Battle of the Atlantic), and some have been chosen for their historical significance regardless of how tactically complex the battle itself may have been (Pearl Harbor, Plassey). The moments ‘explored’ are hampered by a limited word count for each entry, sometimes reducing coverage of a battle to a disappointing precis. For example, the El Alamein entry has room to mention Operations Lightfoot and Supercharge, but not Operation Bertram, in which Montgomery misdirected Rommel through the use of fake tanks and tanks dressed as trucks. And while the map for Gettysburg is finely delivered, covering the battle in 500 words reduces it to a triviality. It makes a nice little present for the price, but it’s little more than an historical tease. – Richard L Gale