Music to Eat Cake By by Lev Parikian

Victoria sponge should be scoffed to the accompaniment of music by Gilbert and Sullivan. This is one of many imaginative and entertaining opinions Lev Parikian puts forward in his latest book. Before I learned that he’s an orchestral conductor and author, I used to follow, on Twitter, Lev’s live birdsong broadcasts, for which he’s widely known and admired. He appears to be the kind of person who’s always up for a challenge, whether it’s patrolling the hedgerows while hoping the local chaffinches are in good voice, or writing a set of essays on random topics.

Music to Eat Cake By, subtitled ‘Essays on Birds, Words and Everything in Between’, is a collection of essays exploring everything from the art of the sandwich and space travel and, of course, his beloved birdsong. Lev considers each subject with his signature wit and warmth, inviting the reader to wonder: what might we ask him to write about next? The perfect gift for your curious-minded friend or relative, Lev's collection of fact, humour and memoir is like Schott’s Miscellany meets Alan Bennett.

In order to make the challenge even more thrilling, Parikian did not personally select the subjects of these essays. Instead, he asked his readers what they would most like him to write about. In doing so, he was laying himself open to mischief, in a way most authors would not risk. I’d love to see a list of the suggestions he refused. Some of those that made the cut must have been chosen with a chuckle, for example, ‘How Not to Cure Hiccups at Midnight on Ryde Esplanade’. Lev describes the person who suggested it as an old and trusted friend, which explains why they got away with it. As it happens, Lev handles this very demanding topic with admirable style and humour.

There is an essay on ice hockey, another on having an allotment and, my personal favourite, ‘The Art of the Sandwich’. According to Lev, ‘We all know that the Queen of Sandwiches is the bacon sarnie on cheap white’, but he employs 2,800 hilarious words to prove his point. Some of the essays are playful, others touching. One or two, like ‘Growing Old, Growing Older’ are rather serious, to be read when the reader is feeling contemplative. Perhaps because the subjects were chosen by those who know him best, they give Lev an opportunity to show off his vast knowledge and experience. The essay entitled ‘Getting the Best out of Enthusiastic Amateur Musicians’ will be of interest to many, and I particularly enjoyed ‘The 1681 ‘Fleming’ Stradivarius’, a sensitive account of an instrument belonging to his father, and what eventually became of it.

Music To Eat Cake By is ideal for dipping into. The essays are between 3,600 and 800 words long, with a word count helpfully displayed under each title, so the reader can judge which one is just right for enjoying a coffee, timing a soft-boiled egg or a quiet evening with their feet up. My serving suggestion is to add a generous slice of cake and Lev’s choice of music. Appealing to a wide audience, expressing varied moods and with an attractive cover, Music To Eat Cake By will make an excellent Christmas present.

HARDBACK: £16.99 / EBOOK: £4.99