GOOD BOOK PLEASE

Someone said to me the other day that they never read current books - there are so many classics it seemed stupid to waste time on something that might be terrible. I totally agree and unless you read book reviews, have a friend with exactly the same taste or a trusted independent bookseller it's tricky. So I wanted to suggest a few recent, really good books that I can promise won't be a waste of time ...

Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel

Written by the screenwriter of I've Loved You So Long starring Kristen Scott Thomas, this book is fantastic. It's about a poisonous war, determined survival and, ultimately, what it means to be human.

A small, nameless French village is reeling from the Second World War. During years of occupation by the Nazi's, each and every person has done something or behaved in a way they wish to keep hidden. One day a mysterious stranger enters the village riding a white horse and leading a donkey. He seems to be painting the surrounding countryside but somehow he is going to drag up all that these villagers wish to remain hidden. Finally, as the novel unfolds, we find out what the hero is hiding and why his wife has lost her voice.

If you're looking for a page turner then this isn't for you, but if it's a profound, moving and thought-provoking piece of modern literature you're after, then this is hard to beat.

POSTCARDS FROM JAPAN

Here's an easy way to help out with the Japanese recovery ... A publisher called Kodansha has just developed an App which showcases the work of 14 Japanese photographs and 120 of their images of the recent earthquake and tsunami. The  App is called 3/11, it is for iPhones or iPads and it's only 99c  on US iTunes (it's also  available in Europe and the UK).  All profits go to the Japanese Red Cross.

LET ME GUESS ... YOU'RE WEARING BOOK BY KARL LAGERFELD

I'd like to say that books smell different. Some of them smell of nothing at all, some of them smell like dust and attics, some of them smell like calm, quiet, safe places, some smell like stuff you've dropped on them by mistake like mince ... But, for all those people who gush on about how much they love the smell of books, apparently Karl Lagerfeld is one of them, it is now possible to actually smell of books.

YOU MUST BE JOOKIN

Accchhhh. It's been so long. I know. I'm sorry. But, I've got something brilliant. This morning I got sent this video of the world's leading cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, and Jookin star Lil Buck performing together at a charity event. Jookin is a Memphis-born dance style, a liquid form of body-popping where the dancer's feet move so smoothly it's like they're on skates. I've seen performers on the streets in Paris and dancers in the Janelle Monae Tightrope video, but this is truly incredible.