Roll up, roll up for a best-seller

It is one US craze that has not, thankfully, been copied on this side of the pond. The rebirth of cigar smoking, which has swept the US over the past two years, has been rejected by the British. The only long, thick, brown thing we are prepared to stick in our mouths is a Curly-Wurly.

The Diary has already chronicled the work of Marvin Shanken, founder of magazine Cigar Aficionado (MW February 7). Marvin has now published two books on the subject, “The World of cigars” and “Cigar Aficionado’s Buying Guide”.

The first of these is apparently “filled with delightful pictures of lighters, cutters, cases, humidors, cigar bands and boxes”. The second has chapters on shape, size and colour and ratings for over 1,000 cigars.

Perhaps Marvin should try novels instead. Never mind, the Diary has an idea for its own cigars and sex sizzler best-seller: “Don’t Look Baccy in Anger”.