No News at Throat Lake, by Lawrence Donegan (Penguin, £6.99 in UK)

Yes, this is another of those "English person with Irish roots moves to remote village in Ireland" stories - but the passion, …

Yes, this is another of those "English person with Irish roots moves to remote village in Ireland" stories - but the passion, prejudices and wit of Guardian journalist Lawrence Donegan's account of a year in the tiny village of Creeslough, Co Donegal, make this the best and funniest one yet. Failing as a farm labourer, he joins the eccentric staff of the Tirconaill Tribune which glories in council, government and church baiting (editor's mission statement: wouldn't it be great if there was a paper that always took the side of the people, regardless of whether the people were right or wrong?). Donegan's affectionate portrayal of local characters, desperate struggle to understand Gaelic football, passionate ranting against the slow death of rural Donegal and obsession with the local man-made-good, the butler of the Richest Girl in the World, made me wish he'd stayed more than a year and written a longer book.