17 DECEMBER 1983, Page 53

Alastair Forbes

For the best novels, I pick Alice Thomas Ellis's The Other Side of the Fire (Duckworth), and My Antonia by Willa Cather, reprinted by Virago.

There is really far too much competition in this field, but probably the worst book I saw was a pathetically unfunny offering from New Zealand, co-authored by our prettiest Prince, who is lucky not to go like a Witch of Salem to the stake for it, but in- stead to be able to make up for lost educa- tional time on the Cam.