Books

Steven Levitt, the man who attributed falling crime rates to the legalisation of abortion, has written an instructive and entertaining book, on such matters as the economics of crack-dealing street gangs, says Jim Holt

In celebration of their twenty-first anniversary a few years back, the organisers of the Booker prize decided to nominate the 'Booker of Bookers', awarding the 'best winner' award to Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children. How Banville's The Sea would have fared we know not but taking their lead from the Booker, The Orange Prize for Fiction decided to mark their tenth anniversary by judging the best of the books that have won since 1995.

Only the most hard-core Dublin fan or Dessie Farrell fan will enjoy the former football star's autobiography. So says Patrick Kennelly

Rick Moody's novels have suffered when translated to the Big Screen in the past. Stephen Metcalf believes that his new novel The Diviners, although implausible as a work of fiction will make a 'fine movie'

Eoin Devereux reviews Helen Shaw's The Irish Media Directory and Guide 2006

Review of Liam Farrell book, The Children's Press, €5.50

Ronan Browne brings us the latest news from the literary world

'Yes, things endure, while the living lapse'

An extract from John Banville's Man Booker Prize-winning novel, The Sea

'Plan A was that the Iraqi government would be quickly decapitated, security would be turned over to remnants of the Iraqi police and army... and most American forces would leave within a few months. There was no Plan B.' Michiko Kakutani reviews a new book on Iraq by former pro-war liberal, George Packer

MICHIKO KAKUTANI is underwhelmed by Salman Rushdie's latest novel, the Booker-shortlisted Shalimar The Clown