Lunchtime read: Venusberg

Unlike other books about foreign correspondents in a strange land the difference is that Lushington is paid to be there and is doing a standard job.

He tours the circuits of balls and salons and files his stories about potential communist coups and the local political scene. Even the sense of rivalry with Da Costa, his girlfriends chosen beau, is subdued as Lushington continues his affair with the Austrian woman he met on the boat from England.

The humour when it comes is more of a diplomatic nature with the US embassy delegate showing embarrassment as his boss slowly disgraces himself in a nightclub and a solider finding he is no longer the main attraction when his general arrives in the room.

This is gentle and so far a bit slow, maybe too slow, but let’s see if the pace picks up tomorrow…