Across my desk

A selection of the books that landed on Vivien’s desk. Some of these books may be reviewed later.

A PANDERER is a pimp, and the word’s etymology derives from the character Pandarus in the tale of Troilus and Criseyde, as told by Chaucer and Shakespeare.

This novel is a modern retelling of the story of the tragic lovers from the point of view of Pandarus, the go-between. Pandarus meets an editor in Halfway to Heaven, a gay bar in London, to whom he tells his tale, because he is anxious to correct the unflattering view of him that Shakespeare presented. The editor says to him: “So you’re named after a character in a Shakespeare play?” He replies: “No, I didn’t say I was named after Pandarus. I said I AM Pandarus.”

Spook Street, by Mick Herron (John Murray/ Jonathan Ball)

DAVID Cartwright may be a retired spook, but he keeps his senses honed.

His grandson River has grown up with his stories, but when River joins the Intelligence Service, he is assigned to a team of penpushers under the leadership of Jackson Lamb. Lamb worked with David Cartwright back in the day, and that’s why it’s Lamb they call when Cartwright’s panic button raises the alarm at Service HQ. This is Mick Herron’s fourth Jackson Lamb spy thriller.

Guide to Seabirds of Southern Africa, by Peter Ryan (Struik Nature)

THERE are 132 species of seabirds in southern Africa and the Southern Ocean, more than a third of all seabirds. Apart from photographs and descriptions of species, Peter Ryan, director of UCT’s FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, covers the ocean environment, how birds deal with the salt content of their food, delayed digestion, photography and conservation. Buy these books at loot.co.za by scanning the QR codes with your smartphone.