Who says writers need to stick to one genre? In his luminous career to date E.L. Doctorow has done gothic whodunnit (The Waterworks), historical fantasy (Ragtime) and even great adventure (The March). Never before has he been as crazily confused as Andrew’s Brain, however. Set in present day, the book takes the form of a therapy session, with our eponymous anti-hero narrating his many travails to an unknown listener. And Andrew has had more than his fair share of troubles. This self-diagnosed Jonah is an emotional and physical time-bomb, dragging catastrophe behind him like a ball and chain, as he lurches Gulliver-like from marital crisis to existential Armageddon by way of the White House. By turns farcical, frightening and fantastical, Doctorow’s story twists and turns like a greased-up eel.