This coming week will see the UK publication by Penguin UK, under their Harvill Secker imprint, of a book that is already – according to The Guardian – being “touted as the next H is for Hawk;” the book in question being How to Catch a Mole, and Find Yourself in Nature by Marc Hamer. How realistic is this touting? Like you, I get a bit skeptical whenever I hear any book breathlessly referred to by the literary cognoscenti as “Y is the next X.”

However I have also been sent an advance reading copy of the North American English language edition by Greystone Books, whose publicists I have come to know well and hold in high regard over the years thanks to their very often being spot-on about the books they choose to publish and to which call my attention when they think it appropriate.

Therefore I shall be opening up this one very soon with increased expectations. I’ll certainly be letting you know if they were met.