Before picking up The Secret World of the Irish Male (New Island, £6.95), I had no idea who Joseph O`Connor was. After reading it, I think he is one of the greatest contempory writers of modern Irish fiction. His sense of humour is infectious and his vivid discriptions will capture both men and women. His description of Leaving Cert exams was very apt. "God tests us by continuous assessment," he says. "There will be no written examination on judgement day, so if it's good enough for God why the hell couldn't it be good enough for the Irish education system." Hear, hear, is all I can say.