You only had to look at him… or read such books as The Bonfire of the Vanities and The Right Stuff to know that Tom Wolfe was like no other

Journalism, it is said, is the first draft of history. Nobody exemplifies the dictum better than Wolfe, the cultural observer and social critic par excellence

Effortlessly, elegantly, Tom Wolfe bestrode both fiction and non-fiction… a style at once objective, subjective, and hallucinatory

[Tom Wolfe’s] gleeful use of punctuation and italics, along with entertaining asides and neologisms that often quickly cemented themselves into the English lexicon, helped Wolfe stand out from other journalists

[Wolfe] made literature fun and bores don’t like fun

This is a book that will be a sharp pleasure to reread years from now, when it will bring back, like a falcon in the sky of memory, a whole world that is currently jetting and jazzing its way somewhere or other

He impales trends and fads, pretensions and swaggerings, with needle-sharp wit

Might well be required reading in courses with names like American studies

Gripping... an inspiring story of the strength of the human spirit in the face of greed and cruelty.

Reads like a Hollywood film - but this account is true.

There are escape stories and then there is this. It deserves to become a classic, like Jung Chang's Wild Swans, not only for Xu Hongci's survival against the odds, but for confronting us unsparingly with what happens when folly and intolerance meet unfettered political power.

[Xu Hongci] takes the reader on a turbulent and fraught journey of capture, escape, evasion, survival and love. Translated with immense skill and talent, it's a thrilling read.

A masterpiece…Xu is the only known escapee from Mao’s prisons

Gripping, moving and eye-opening

A tremendous amount of research has gone into Enemies and Neighbors; the writing is straightforward, fast-paced and lucid; and it pulled me right to the end, despite the heavy nature of its topic. An excellent read that offers a true portrayal of the situation

Mark imparts knowledge about Christmas traditions from the essential to the (very) abstruse in wry and sardonic style. An effortless and enjoyable way to learn more about this fulcrum of our calendar

With his casual elegance and melodious voice, Mark Forsyth has an anachronistic charm totally at odds with the 21st century

[The Etymologicon is] a perfect bit of stocking filler for the bookish member of the family, or just a cracking all-year-round-read. Highly recommended

A treat for the connoisseur who enjoys a robust anecdote from the past with his drink

As good as promised - could have been thrice as long

Witty and revelatory. Blooming brilliant