Review ~ Listellany by John Rentoul

Elliot & Thompson

Hardcover, 128 pages

Publication date: 9 Oct 2014

List price: £9.99

ISBN: 9781783960040

I find that avid readers are very methodical people who love nothing better than keeping a good list, either of the books they have read, or of books they have yet to read. So, to have a little book totally concentrating on a list of top ten interesting facts about absolutely everything, really appealed to my avid reader’s sense of order.

Every week in the Independent on Sunday, John Rentoul publishes a top ten based on suggestions from the great British public. Putting all these suggestions into a handy little reference book is an inspired idea. As contained within, are lists upon fascinating lists and answers to questions you never knew you needed an answer for; from the ten worst Beatles songs, through to the top ten of English Monarchs and from the top ten of everyday lies, to the top ten fictional villains

I really enjoyed my first read through of this book, at 128 pages it is concise enough to read in one sitting; I found myself, more than once, with a wry smile on my face. Only the British can get excited by the top ten of Best British place names and only a reader will mutter in disapproval at a list of Books people buy but don’t read!

It’s one of those precious little gems that list lovers will want to keep in a handy place so that they can peruse it time and time again. It would make a perfect gift for a methodical reader like me, or for someone who simply likes a good list.

Amazon UK

My thanks to Alison Menzies at Elliot & Thompson for my copy of this book to review

About the Author

  

John Rentoul is chief political commentator for the Independent on Sunday, and visiting fellow at Queen Mary, University of London, where he teaches contemporary history. Previously he was chief leader writer for theIndependent. He is the author of The Banned List and Questions to Which the Answer is "No!".

*~*~*