Books: Pick Of The Week - Giles Foden and Magnus Mills

Thur Borders, Charing Cross Road, London

Ladysmith? If you only connect it with the South African backing group on Paul Simon's Gracelands, this is the book event for you. Giles Foden, winner of the Whitbread First Novel Award with The Last King of Scotland, returns to the dark continent in Ladysmith (Faber pounds 9.99), a fictionalised account of the siege of the city and a symbolic episode in the Boer War. Although this was the first war to be recorded in moving pictures, it was also one of the last to honour gentlemanly rules of engagement.

Magnus Mills has also just published a second novel - All Quiet on the Orient Express (Flamingo pounds 9.99) - hard on the heels of Only When the Sun Shines Brightly (Acorn pounds 3.99), his collection of short stories.

All Quiet on the Orient Express is the sinister tale of a naive soul who foolishly offers to paint a farm gate for a campsite owner at the end of the holiday season.

Giles Foden reads from `Ladysmith' and Magnus Mills reads from `All Quiet on the Orient Express' at Borders, 120 Charing Cross Road, London WC1 (0171-379 8877), Thur, 7pm, free