The little man began a fight-back this week when Alan Bennett urged fans to buy his book from an independent retailer rather than from a Waterstones or an Amazon. Good-naturedly, Amazon told the BBC that Bennett was "a national treasure" (presumably through gritted teeth). Either way, Bennett is primarily seeking promotion for his new book, Untold Stories Part One, a collection of his writing since his battle with cancer in1997.
Cork's English Market is not just food and trinkets: it is community and history, writes Claire Davenport
This long, heavy tome makes the case for Mao as the most monstrous tyrant ever. However, it lacks insight into Mao's behaviour, his childhood, his writings and his political values. Review by Michiko Kakutani
Not since Perfume has a book brought strong smells to you, except these smells are not so good. Clare Clarke's latest novel is set in Victorian London, reviewed here by Susann Cokal
In his latest novel, Scott Turow abandons the thriller genre for a story about a son discovering his father's role in World War II. Review by Janet Maslin
The makeup of the population living on the island of Ireland will change rapidly over the next 25 years. By 2030 about 1.5 million people in Ireland will be foreign-born. This new population is being ignored by media and advertisers. Is this not a missed opportunity, asks Conor Brady
Bees have a busy but short life, only living for six weeks, but during that time they will forage up to two miles away from home and most of their body weight will become nectar. Darina Allen tells us about bees in Ireland, their goodness, and suggests a simple recipe
Right. Where was I? Oh yeah, my friend Paul's birthday do. When extending the invite to me a few weeks ago, he said, and I quote, "Hey, it's my birthday next week, so we're having a few drinks and a bit food in my place. And seriously – no gifts, okay?". So I didn't buy him a gift, much to the bemusement of another friend Declan's wife Helen, who was only dying for party night to roll around, hoping I would be shown up in polite company as some sort of tight-arse.
It was bracing to see the son of a New York doorman open the door on the mendacious Washington lair of the Lord of the Underground.
Labour's spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs, Willie Penrose, says his party will "significantly increase the rates of social welfare payments", if they are in Government after the next election. In his policy document, to be published in the next fortnight, he also proposes a new child benefit supplement and the abolition of means testing as part of "10 steps to tackling poverty". He says that Labour in government would reverse the "savage 16" cutbacks made in the 2003 budget.