Congo Journey, by Redmond O'Hanlon (Penguin, £6.99 in UK)

Once again Redmond O'Hanlon has boldly gone where few would dare to tread; and in this epic trudge through the swamp forests of the Congo, he brings the skills of a naturalist to the flora and fauna, the insight of a psychologist to his fellow-travellers and the astuteness of a political commentator to the country's demented bureaucracy. Add to this a novelist's feel for character and ear for dialogue, a degree of sensitivity to local superstition which can raise the hairs on the back of your neck, and a totally inappropriate love affair with a baby gorilla, and you have some idea of the sweep of this book, which wraps itself round you with the tenacity of a particularly determined liana. Be warned, though: the print is horrifically small and light, making the 470-odd pages of this paperback an epic read in more ways than one.