New York

'One of the things that makes the end of summer and the approach of winter more bearable is the thought of not seeing any more Americans in shorts . . . I think you've got to have great legs, or at least good ones, to wear shorts. And I haven't. So I don't wear them, even though I'm trying hard to fit in here. Trying to be more American. I've tried to tone down my Australian vowels, and, after ten years, I've learnt to speak more speedily. Trying to be American can be exhausting.'

In this wry collection of pieces, Lily Brett turns her razor-sharp gaze on the city which has entertained, inspired and perplexed her for the decade she has lived there in a SoHo loft apartment. Lily muses on the dearth of single men and crime, celebrity hairdressers expert in the latest must-have plastic surgery and Monica Lewinsky's revolutionary effect on body image and New York street conversation.

This is a very personal account of New York life, told with all the wit and insight the award-winning author of 'Too Many Men' and 'In Full View' is famous for.