A follow-up to his novel The Humans, Matt Haig’s A to Z is a user guide cum dictionary cum phrase book designed to help visiting aliens understand the strangest species in the universe – us.
It explains key human concepts such as politics, dancing and innuendo and helps to make sense of our habits and customs, including weddings or going to the zoo.
There are also handy sections on where to stay while visiting Earth and how to fit in as a human (wear clothes, sigh more as you get older).
Whether you’re an alien or merely an observer of your fellow human beings, this light-hearted guide provides an amusing insight into the idiosyncrasies and eccentricities of our behaviour.
In places Haig tries a bit too hard to be witty, but there are enough laugh-out-loud entries to make up for it, and it’s a great book to dip in and out of.