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Finished "D/I/L/Y:A/M" (see below). If you're in the mood for a mildly uplifting, "Who"-centric coming-of-age yarn, spun in an irreverent music newspaper fashion, Griffiths is your guy. Even non-fans will find it worthwhile. Those after something more hard-core should seek out instead Andrew Cartmel's diary "Script Doctor: The Inside Story Of Doctor Who 1986-89" (2005).

Next tome off the teetering pile: "Baghdad FC: Iraq's Football Story" (2005) by Simon Freeman, a thoughtful gift from PG and DG that'll add meaning to the Asian Cup clash between the Socceroos and Iraq on July 13. I've barely creased the spine but already feel I understand the riven country better, which is both a credit to the author and embarrassment to myself.