<i>At a glance</i>

Casanova
The Man Who Really Loved Women
Lydia Flem
Farrar Straus Giroux
An interesting work on a man with what has long been looked upon as a sordid reputation. But Flem does a good job of projecting the intellectual aspects of Casanova's character. Despite the fact that he enjoyed passionate love with 132 women, he still had time for poetry. It is a Casanova you cannot but respect. He gives you tips on love too.
The Muslim World
Colin Turner
Sutton Publishing
The work appeared before all these questions regarding political Islam, before the fall of the twin towers in New York, came up. It is a simple layman's guide to Islamic history, a kind of made-easy narrative of the rise and expansion of a religion. The book should be a useful addition to libraries everywhere.
Taliban
Ahmed Rashid
Pan Books
Originally published before the disaster of 11 September 2001, the work is essentially a history of the rise and expanding power of a group of seminarians intent on taking Afghanistan back into the medieval era. Rashid examines the history behind the story. He does not spare anyone who has had a hand in the rise of this band of fanatics.
Kennedy and Nixon
The Rivalry That Shaped Post-War America
Christopher Matthews
Simon & Schuster
Looks like an unputdownable book. The Kennedy-Nixon saga has etched itself in the public consciousness. The 1960 election, television debates and all, are remembered once more. Both men dominated an era that saw war, the race for space and détente. If Kennedy personified dynamism, Nixon symbolised strong leadership.