North Yorkshire in winter is the setting for this masterpiece. The characters act out an emerging reality.

The Philippine-American War is not a topic that's discussed very often. William Boyd uses it as a backdrop for an intricate, elegant story.

My own novel deals with themes of identity and faith in 1970s Kenya. It's a complex tale involving five characters' reaction to a central even where a missionary priest has a car accident.

It's been around for 400 years. It invented (or at least re-invented) the novel. And it's the basis for my next book, A Search for Donald Cottee.

Oket p'Bitek's epic poem could be read as a thesis on modernisation. It's powerful and intense.

We used to sit around as students and analyse the characters. Of its time, perhaps, but Durrell's writing still shines.

Perhaps the most cleverly and effectively constructed book I have ever read. One day contains whole lives, time inside out.

..... speaking of empires ......

What is amazing is that he writes words like he writes music - jabbery, disjointed, but eventually making perfect sense.

Interesting how politics, economics and imperialism con combine to create socialism.