The Smile off Murugian: A South Indian Journey, by Michael Wood (Penguin, £6.99 in UK)

This is best described as a travel book, though of the modern type which takes history, politics, racial cultures and local colour all in its stride. Michael Wood is a filmmaker, prolific writer and broadcaster, who has a sympathy for and with Indian life and religion, and the culture of the Tamils in particular, and he gives you much more than the usual between planes, impressionistic chat. A pity, however, that the numerous photographs should be rather blurry and crowded in presentation.