The Bookseller.com

22nd August 2008

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Naipaul biography is top summer tip

06.08.08 Anna Richardson

Patrick French's biography of V S Naipaul, The World Is What It Is, was among this summer's most recommended title, according to a study from reading charity Booktrust, but Sebastian Faulks took the "most recommended author" crown.

The survey looked at summer reading recommendations from literary pages, gathering more than 600 recommendations from 11 publications. French's book, published by Picador, was mentioned four times, while titles from Faulks, including Engleby, Birdsong and James Bond novel Devil May Care were mentioned seven times.

Among the books receiving one fewer mention than The World Is What Is, three were published by Bloomsbury: Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth, Kate Summerscale’s Samuel Johnson Prize-winning The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and Ferdinand Mount’s autobiography, Cold Cream.

Booktrust's James Smith, who compiles the annual list, said: "The editors of the literary pages are to be congratulated for choosing old favourites as well as new titles this year. Not everyone has the money in their pocket, or space in their luggage, for a hardback these days.”

Media Anna Richardson Booktrust V S Naipaul