John McEwen
Best Books: Crop Circles: The Latest Evidence by Pat Delgado and Colin Andrews (Bloomsbury, £5.99). A stun- ningly illustrated and cheap picture book about surely the greatest art/science puzzle of our time. Best bought in conjunction with The Crop Circle Enigma (Gateway Books, £14.95), a first collection of essays by members of the recently formed Centre for Crop Circle Studies, who publish their findings in the CCS journal The Cereolog- ist, edited by John Michell, available from 11 Powis Gardens, London W11 1JG, annual sub. £7.50. The crusty supposition that the circles are hoaxes is irrevelant. They are amazing — whoever or whatever makes them.
The Soul of the Eye by Michael Levey (Collins, £18). A brilliant anthology of painters and painting, as might be expected from the scholarly, therefore unsnobbish, Sir Michael. Most of these insights derive from painters, but every kind of source is tapped and there is a leavening of jokes and curiosities — eg 'Painting, n., The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic. (A. Bierce)'.
On the Third Day by Piers Paul Read (Secker, £13.99). Familiar Read virtues of scrupulous research, meticulous prose, narrative drive, moral concern and topical- ity. The key question confronting contem- porary Christian complacency is at the heart of it. Not, do we believe in God; but do we believe in the Devil — because . . without Hell the whole idea of salvation loses its meaning and there is no point to the suffering of Christ.'
Worst Book: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie (Granta Books, £12.99). Last year the piggy-banks were raided by the Duchess of York, this year by Mr Rushdie.
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