First impressions

This week's First Impressions, the competition in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, comes from a voyage by an anthropologist who went to an enormous distance to prove his point: "Just occasionally you find yourself in an odd situation."

Entries to First Impressions, The THES, Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY, faxed to 0171 782 3300 or emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a Pounds 20 book token and the closing date is October 21.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Rian Malan's My Traitor's Heart, is Lynnda Wardle.