Lunch with the FT

52 interviews of the most influential thought leaders across a wide range of activities and acheivement. The proximity that a lunch table brings is a refreshing change to interviews and also reveals the true character of the person interviewed. Great read and some refreshingly insightful look into facets of life.

Perfect read for the tube

I was happy to find out this edition was a hard over. I got the first part as a pocket edition. It's very interesting to read interviews of people who were asked their views and opinions years ago, and how their analysis and predictions have lived up til today.

Enjoyed Lionel Barber's first offering - 52 Classic Interviews - so much, went back for more. They're like canapés - really tasty but easy and quick to savour if time is short. Ideal. When 's the next course? First two led to me buying FT Weekend every Saturday.

An eclectic mix of interviews from the iconic weekly FT series. Some are particularly interesting because they were published before a subsequent chapter in the interviewees' lives had commenced (Donald Trump being the most obvious example). Others are captivating because the lunch guests are such interesting characters - either because of their vanity or arrogance (Richard Desmond and Bernie Ecclestone spring to mind). Politicians, sports personalities, entrepreneurs, business leaders and celebrities all reveal hidden foibles and insights over the more relaxed setting of a lunch, often lubricated with alcohol (or, in Farage's case, alcohols).Not all the interviews will appeal to every reader - I skipped some of the tech entrepreneurs and sports stars who I had never heard of, but its a terrific book to dip into, and makes for a great holiday read!

Lunch With… is one of my favourite things in the newspapers I read. This collection is well worth the cover price. I liked it so much I bought two more copies for Christmas presents.