BOOKS

I'm currently reading Jerusalem:City of Longing by Simon Goldhill. Although I am nowhere near finished, so far it is a fascinating, even-handed insight into the city I'm so looking forward to visiting next year. So much is written about Jerusalem but because of the various faiths pulling the reader in different directions it is difficult for the novice researcher to separate fact from fiction. Goldhill does it brilliantly and sometimes humorously.

So many times one reads a book and cannot wait to get to the end - the denouement as the French would say - but this time I dread reaching the end because it may take a lifetime to find an equally fascinating replacement.