26 APRIL 1997, page 39

All Children But His Own

Juliet Townsend SIGNALLING FROM MARS: THE LETTERS OF ARTHUR RANSOME edited by Hugh Brogan Cape, £17.99, pp. 377 T hey are part of childhood for so many of us. Captain John, Mate......

Life At The Blunt End

Anita Brookner THE UNTOUCHABLE by John Banville Picador, £15.99, pp. 405 h e first thing to be noticed about this enthralling novel is that it is properly writ- ten: John......