Item category 1: World Paperback

Salt explores the complexities of the still young Trinidad where the roles of slave and land-owner still linger. Earl Lovelace is one of the pre-eminent novelists of the Caribbean, and in this novel he questions the nature of liberty and nationhood.

Each time he returns from his travels, Marco Polo is invited by Kublai Khan to describe the cities he has visited. But Calvino is describing only one city - Venice. Invisible Cities has been described as Calvino's most beautiful work.

This story is told by a young soldier in the trenches of Flanders during the First World War. Through his eyes we see the realities of war. Incidents are vividly described, but there is no sense of adventure, only the feeling of youth betrayed.

In this story of irreconcilable loves and infidelities, Milan Kundera addresses himself to the nature of 20th century "Being". The novel encompasses the extremes of comedy and tragedy, and embraces, it seems, all aspects of human existence.

This novel is a romantic, poignant tale, touched with moments of magic, graphic earthiness and bittersweet wit. A sumptuous feast of a novel, it relates the bizarre history of the all-female De La Garza family.