Since I was a young boy, I have been an avid reader (and, as my wife constantly reminds me, hoarder) of magazines and newspapers, seemingly unable to find the time or inclination to read a hefty novel. The few books that have left a lasting impression with me are the result of enforced reading while travelling or on holiday, and the five I list here are ones I have read at least twice over the years.
A A Gill is Away by A A Gill (2002)
The main reason for my addiction to newspapers was discovering A A Gill – a journalist who, in his regular Sunday Times features, painted pictures with words like few others could. Outrageously opinionated, yet compassionate and inquisitive, his incredible prose was always best suited to writing about his experiences while travelling. This book is a compilation of some of his best travel writing, as published in various magazines, and remains my go-to tome if I'm in need of a good belly laugh or want to expand my own vocabulary. Gill always made me want to be a better writer, and 18 months after his untimely death, he still does. For the those unfamiliar with this man's genius, A A Gill is Away is a fine place to start.
27 by William Diehl (1990)
Some novels have inexplicably never been adapted for film or television, and 27, also known as The Hunt, is one such book. Diehl's hard-hitting language and graphic descriptions pull no punches as he tells a story set during the lead up to the Second World War in which a Nazi-hating mercenary locks horns with one of Hitler's most brutal assassins in a deadly game of cat and mouse. It's a thrilling read that resonates even more today, with its almost prophetic sleeper-agent plot, where the Third Reich's perfect spy and murderer lays in wait for years until given a signal to strike. The closing chapters do veer towards the nonsensical, but suspension of disbelief has rarely been more engaging than this.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (1981)
The Silence of the Lambs made Hannibal Lecter a household name, but Red Dragon was the novel that gave him life. I bought this book after seeing the film Manhunter, which was based on it. As a movie, it was extremely suspenseful – sometimes horrifying – but it was let down by an ending that, it turned out after reading it, had departed from the original story. Harris has an uncanny knack for hooking you in and not letting go, meaning you end up reading hundreds of pages in just a few days. That's fine, though, because his books are that good that you don't mind revisiting them time and again.
The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven (1971)
In our family photo album used to be a picture of my dad laughing so hard that tears were running down his cheeks. He was holding this book. I share with him a wicked sense of humour, so when I was old enough to appreciate it, I bought The Moon's a Balloon. While reading it, often found myself doubled up, no doubt because of the same anecdotes. The memoirs of one of Hollywood's most enduring raconteurs, it's an astonishing collection of stories from his early childhood, through military service and to the top tiers of film stardom. It's a masterpiece – I must buy another copy.
Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World’s Greatest Outlaw by Mark Bowden (2001)
This was bought for me as a gift and remained unread for months until I finally got around to opening it. But like all my favourite books, it was consumed in no time at all once I had started – a rollicking slab of investigative journalism charting the rise and fall of one of history’s most notorious and violent criminals: Pablo Escobar, the head of Colombia’s Medellin cocaine cartel. Intense and gripping, Bowden’s work reads like the very best crime novels, and Escobar’s reign of terror is laid out in graphic detail thanks to the author’s unprecedented access to the people who ultimately brought him down.
Kevin Hackett is a features writer for The National
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Read more:
My favourite reads: Joe Jenkins
My favourite reads: Donna Horvath
My favourite reads: Mina Aldroubi
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Company%20Profile
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
MORE FROM CON COUGHLIN
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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SPECS
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THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.