How to Be Free by Tom Hodgkinson
The latest tome from professional idler Hodgkinson enlists the thoughts of existentialists, punks and anarchists to tell us how to throw off the shackles of the material world, win back our freedom and come up with great excuses for not going to work (Hamish Hamilton, October 5).
Change the World 9-5
From the people who told you how to Change the World for a Fiver come more tips on how to make your life happier, healthier and cleaner. Take a bath with someone you love, put your chewing gum in the bin, write your name on the organ-donor list and, they promise, you will achieve instant happiness and long-term salvation (Short Books £8.99).
That Extra Half an Inch by Victoria Beckham
We can feign indifference, but, naturally, we are itching to know exactly what “fashion tips” Posh is going to put her name to. How to navigate a hair extension with a nail extension, perhaps? (Michael Joseph, October 30).
The Godmother by Carrie Adams
We’ve had chick lit, now make way for chick noir, as Adams turns the thirtysomething romantic dream on its head with a backlash against smug marrieds and discontented singletons (Headline Review, October 9).
Advertisement
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud
Our tip on the Booker longlist, this is stirring stuff about the beautiful set searching for meaning against the backdrop of 9/11 (Picador £14.99).
www.lipstick.com
Whether it is Nicole’s pregnancy or Britney’s half-eaten egg sandwich, this site’s got all the gossip covered. With updates every five minutes, what Lipstick doesn’t know about celebs, quite frankly, isn’t worth knowing.
www.climatecrisis.net
The official website of Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Perfect for trumping dinner-party mates with extra facts not included in the film.
www.pandora.com
Finally, sort out your music with this gem: insert the name of an artist or song you like and it will scan a library of analysed music to create your own bespoke radio station. And it’s free.