Blue's gift for discussing spiritual matters in a practical way without sounding preachy or mawkish is well-suited to his subject matter. Each chapter follows a similar format to BBC Radio 4's "Thought for the Day" slot (to which Blue is a well-known contributor): personal anecdote followed by wisdom in the form of thoughts, exercises, prayers, jokes and advice. In some ways, both Blue and his co-author, Rabbi Jonathan Magonet have written a kind of spiritual diary, charting what they have learned from a lifetime's worth of holidays in the broadest sense, including package tours, unexpected stays in hospitals, retreats, pilgrimages and conferences.

From the hard sell by time-share holiday companies, to worries about using foreign toilets; from one-night stands, to arguing with your partner on the journey home, Sun, Sand and Soul is a pleasing, and considered look at holidays and the quest for happiness. --Zahavit Shalev