Flying Visits

Flying Visits is written with a riveting mix of wit, humour, satire and above all, penetrating observation. Here we have the triumvirate of fact, imagination and eloquence which does for the mind what a jumbo jet does for the body. You may never get to Peking, for instance, but this book works as a considerable consolation. Atmosphere is always as valid as cold fact when recalling a foreign visit and James manufactures mood with unequalled masteryIrish Independent

Clive James's collection is of unashamed first reactions to cities and countries after you get off the plane. He writes with such wisecracking intelligence that you're happy to be taken around by him - whether to Japan, Los Angeles, or SydneyGuardian

Following Mrs Thatcher round China, dazzling a posse of Russian hotel maids with his ability to say, with the help of a phrase book, 'The bath illuminations have been destroyed', rocking in the slipstream of Washington's joggers, he is a sympathetic traveller and a shrewd pinpointer of the funny, frightening, surreal or otherwise significant detailOptions

His distinctive contribution to the gaiety of nations has been to discern high comedy in the low compromises of kitsch. James on Dallas, or any other variety of soap (beauty competitions, fashion shows, media-hungry politicians), was as good as Peacock on Shelley, Flann O'Brien on the Gaelic league, Tom Wolfe on radical chic. James is the ideal common viewer, with whom we rejoice to concurLondon Magazine