I have just read Spies of Warsaw, and embarked on Mission to Paris both by Alan Furst: fabulous novels, taut, anxiety promoting reads, and written with such restrained delicacy that I would re-read passages for the sheer pleasure they gave me. Then,  Under Occupation arrived in Frost Magazine’s office. Being a wise old bird,  i hid it from my book review team and devoured it myself.

Under Occupation is set in occupied Paris in 1942 where the presence of the German masters is ever constant, as is the unseen – usually – German security services.

This is a Paris which still hums, restaurants which still serve food and wine, a Paris which somehow has a measure of the ambiance of a Paris before the war. Why? Because it is the playground for Germans on leave. But what is actually going on beneath the surface? Is there a resistance network? If so, who is in it? How do you become embroiled?

Well, by accident or design.

Either way, it is nerve tingling, an almost impossible way to live: who is friend, who is foe? How can one ever sleep soundly, for when will the Gestapo beat on the door at midnight?

As always, Alan Furst’s research is thorough, the world he creates is utterly believable, the tension he evokes makes putting down the book almost impossible.

Scenario: a man is being chased by the Gestapo. He is shot, and hands an onlooker, Paul Ricard, a plan but of what? Who should Paul share this with, or should he just forget all about it?

So, there we are, by accident Paul Ricard is given a choice. He accepts the challenge and becomes one of those below the surface.

Paul is also an author. He is writing a book, it is his only piece of sanity, the only thing he is in control of, the only world he can manipulate with certainty as his life becomes that of an agent. with only uncertainty as his companion.

One assignment leads to another, he travels into Germany, he grows enamoured of his handler Leila, he works with another, Kasia, This war becomes a battle for survival, not only for Ricard but for France. So many small pieces create a mass, a mass of information, a mass of actions, which will ultimately help those who are helping France.

Under Occupation is enlightening, evocative, heart stopping. Read it, try not to bite your nails. Bravo Alan Furst. A triumph.

Under Occupation by Alan Furst. pub Weidenfeld and Nicholson. hb £20.00

Annie Clarke’s latest novel, Heroes on the Home Front pub Arrow is out in paperback.

Last week I went for a walk. Halfway through it started to spot with rain, by the end it was bouncing off the paths. We splashed through streams, jumped over newly forming rivers and tried not to slip on the carpet of sodden leaves. With my unsuitable trainers acting as sponges, I couldn’t have been wetter or colder.

When I got home I went straight up to run a bath.

Shivering, I peeled off my sodden clothes then reached for the tall, slim bottle of my new coco and cherimoya bath and shower gel by Guava & Gold.

I poured a generous amount under the running tap then sank slowly into the luxuriously scented water.

Closing my eyes I was instantly transported to sunnier climes; the delicate aroma of coconut with undertones of cherimoya and bergamot assailed my senses as the cold wet walk became a distant memory.

I now use this wonderful product each morning, its rich velvety lather leaves my skin soft and fragrant, and me positive and relaxed.

I read somewhere that the cherimoya fruit is grown in tropical regions throughout the world and pollination has to be done by hand. This takes extra time and effort but, in my opinion, it is so worth it.

Guava and Gold have many more products which are available to buy online, and with their reputation of having a ’ strong commitment to sustainable development’ and prices from just £20 they are a must for any Christmas stocking.

https://www.guavaandgold.com

William Hogarth and Salvador Dali are two of my favourite artists. I like them because of their attention to detail and the way they challenge the viewer to look again, to see more and of course to think about what it is that we are seeing. I can now add Lochlann Jain to my list.

Lochlaan’s latest book ‘Things That Art’ plays with art and words and is a graphic menagerie of enchanting curiosity.

Lochlann is a British academic and Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University and Global Health and Social Medicine at Kings College London and has studied art at the Slade (London) and at the San Francisco Art Institute.

In a world where people are desperate to seek clarity – whether it’s gender and sexuality, politics and religion, or simply how we go about making choices at the supermarket – we are subconsciously categorising all the time. While categories may appear to bring objects and ideas together, in many cases they are dividing society and nations.

Things That Art: is a playful book of original drawings that explore the possibilities and pitfalls of categories turning categories on their head to show their wonderfully multi-faceted and often irreverent meanings, from words we use to demean other people, to soften the blow of death, to describe the uncanny functions of our body parts.

Things That Art combines linguistics and art to create an inquisitive pool of new categories that may have never crossed your mind until now.

It targets subjectivity. We, the viewer, want there to be as story, but there isn’t one, throwing this ‘comic form’ into sharp relief.

Through humorous, relevant and undeniably unusual illustrations, Lochlann Jain, urges readers to delve deep into their imagination, to question why we categorise things the way we do. Amusing and whimsical possibly, but anything but shallow.

Categories have their uses: they need us, and we need them. Defined as a framing device for a set of things with shared characteristics, categories order things and perceptions.

Ever wondered about the relationship between an onion and body mass index?  After reading this book I can pretty much guarantee that you will in the future.

‘Things That Art’ is deceptively simple and yet curiously complex, consider the title and you will immediately identify a number of ways that it can be interpreted.

This book is one that you may well pick up from a coffee table with the intention of flicking through it but I suspect hat its very depth, nuance, delight, and surprise will capture your attention and more importantly, keep you thinking.

Things That Art would make a great gift for any and all lovers of graphic art, people interested in art and anyone who likes their art to challenge them and make them think.

This and other events can be visited please check out  https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/things-that-art-exhibition-launch-panel

‘Things That Art’  University of Toronto Press |HARDBACK | £20.99 |NON-FICTION

www.lochlannjain.org

I make no apologies for admitting that when it comes to the spirits of Christmas, I quite often make a bee line for Master of Malt, who have been named On line Retailer of the Year at Icons of Gin for the second year in a row, just one of several awards.

Master of Malt have now carried out some research into some of our Christmas drinking habits and the results are surprising, or maybe they’re not.

Champagne and Christmas seem natural bedfellows and Master of Malt sell more than 5 times of this festive fizz than in any other month of the year.

Keeping with the Christmas theme it seems that Master of Malt Customers still love snowballs at Christmas, not those icy white spheres but rather the classic cocktail made with lemonade, lime juice and the Dutch egg -based liqueur, Advocaat. Sales of Advocaat are 10 times that of a typical month according to Master of Malt.

Along with the wide range of quality Whisky and Gin gifts I was delighted by the tasting set ‘Drinks by the Dram’ which is an interesting tasting set of your favourite tipple containing 3 x 3 cl bottles of the spirit of your choice together with tasting notes. This would make an ideal gift for someone who wishes to experiment, before committing to more expensive spirits or who simply likes to try a range of a particular spirit. Master of Malt have a wide range of Tasting Sets starting from £23.00 right up to £274.00 (the latter in case any of my family are reading this and are feeling particularly generous)

Finally for those of you (surely it can’t just be me?) who always leave at least one present until the very last minute Master of Malt may be able to come to the rescue with their gift vouchers which never expire and even accrue 5% interest per year (trackable in real time) and refunds are always available.

For more information: Master of Malt

At Christmas, well, any time really, the Frost Magazine team LOVE personalised gifts.

So Babyblooms personalised teddy bears seemed well worth a look. Let’s face it, what could be better than teddy bears bearing the name of a new baby? It’s such a  unique, special, and thoughtful gift, but also something to cuddle too, in due course. So put it down mum, and let the baby at it.

Babyblooms range includes their baby clothes bouquets containing 100% cotton baby clothes cleverly rolled to resemble roses, and importantly, interspersed with rather lovely silk keepsake flowers which can be kept in the newborn’s box, to show them later, and to remind mum too.

I received two beautiful personalised teddy bears for my two children. My first impression was how beautifully they were packed into their own charming box and each had a little bow around each teddy bear’s neck. The teddies were soft and cuddly but sturdy enough to be placed on a shelf until baby is old enough for cuddles.

I thought them adorable, and as new mothers are inundated with flowers, chocolates and things that don’t keep, this is an attractive and original alternative, something to remember.

But also, what a great present for a child of any age at Christmas, or for a birthday. The personalisation adds a unique touch and with the choice of pink blue white or red jumper, each bear is one of a kind.

Babyblooms  baby gifts range from books and bears to bathrobes and blankets, and many of these can be personalised.

www.babyblooms.co.uk

Personalised Bertie Bear £24

It is indisputable that many of us are fascinated by the past. Films, books and television programmes abound, as we learn more and more about our ancestors.

Celebrities seem to be queueing up, to find out if they have royal ancestry, or if they are descended from the village idiot.

We have a thirst for knowledge of our past, which goes beyond who our great grandparents were, we want to know what they did and how they lived. We want to know who has lived in the house before us and so it goes on.

I speak as someone who researched his family history in the days before computers and the internet, a time when leafing through hefty tomes was the only way to learn more and back then it had its limitations.

Science in this area has improved enormously and so much more research can be done from the comfort of your own home.

My wife and I have often watched television programmes, steeped in envy, that some celebrity was going to get a whistle stop tour of their own family history, guided by experts.

If you, or someone you know has similar interests, then AncestryDNA may well have the perfect Christmas gift suggestion.

A small kit with easy to follow instructions (even for someone like me, descended from the village idiot)

To begin with I had to log in to Ancestrty.Com to set up a password. This is free, as it is all part of the kit. Remembering not to eat, drink or smoke for 30 minutes was probably the hardest part.

Now for those of a nervous disposition, you may wish to skip these next few lines.

You are required to spit into a test tube, but don’t worry, this is contained in the kit and the test tube has a funnel attached. The test tube also has lines to measure the amount of saliva and we are advised and indeed instructed not to measure the bubbles, which is my favourite instruction, ever.

The funnel is replaced with a cap which also contains a stabiliser, so that when the saliva turns blue, we can be sure that it is working.

The test tube is popped into an envelope and posted to the pre- paid address.

Also included is a rather smart note book, with a black rubberised cover, useful for recording all those notes and I rather suspect that AncestryDNA know that once you start digging into your background, you will be hooked and wish to find out more.

Currently there is a special offer price is £59.00, normally £79.00, plus postage from https://www.ancestry.co.uk

‘Give the gift of family’ they say, and who knows, this time next year we could be sitting next to each other in the House of Lords.

I am a man who currently has 41 types of gin in his possession and whilst I call it a hobby, my wife calls it an obsession, either way there is no disputing the fact that I love gin.

You can find my summer review for this Strawberry Gin in our archives, but now Puerto Indias have made Christmas present buying for gin lovers like me even easier.

I have to confess I haven’t ever really understood the appeal of Mulled Wine, but I do understand that at Christmas there is an urge for something celebratory and different, which is where this Sevillian Strawberry Gin comes in, promising to take pink gin to the next level.

The story goes that the founders were brothers who spotted wild Huelva strawberries growing near the distillery and being about to make strawberry liqueur were curious to know how the mixing of distilled macerated strawberry with gin might taste.

I could have told them, and I can certainly tell you, that is it tastes delicious. Light and of course with more than a hint of Strawberries and on the nose a touch of Aniseed and Juniper.

For that ‘Christmassy’ drink with a difference try mixing the Strawberry Gin with Soda Water plenty of ice and a sprig of Mint and a Cinnamon Stick. I also enjoyed it when I substituted the Mint for Orange peel, twisted to release the oils and rubbed around the rim of the glass. There is something undeniably Christmassy about the scent and taste of Orange at this time of year.

This Strawberry Gin can be bought in a presentation box (not shown) with a beautifully large glass capable of containing enough ice to chill down the Gin quickly as well as holding the cinnamon stick, forming a perfect Christmas gift.

Puerto Indias Strawberry Gin is available from Amazon. Master of Malt and Whisky Exchange with a RRP of £27.00

The Presentation Box with Glass and Bottle of Strawberry Gin is also available from Amazon with a RRP of £40.00.

Happy Christmas.

Further details from www.ginpuertodeindias.com

When it comes to stocking fillers, Chocolate is a sure-fire hit in our household and I am not ashamed to admit that in such cases our mantra is, the bigger the better.

So, a huge bar of Toblerone with a personalised message limited only by the size of the packaging, makes this something demonstrating a little more thought than my usual efforts.

I chose to put my wife’s name on the packet with the unintended consequence that I cannot now claim ignorance as to whom the said chocolate belongs, when accidentally coming across the chocolate wherever she has hidden it.

I am also thinking that this is a neat and welcome Secret Santa gift guaranteed to please and easily wrapped.

So at home and in the office it’s a definite winner

You’re welcome.

Happy Christmas.

For more information: Prezzybox.com