The Iberian Job, a mad business scheme designed by Rob Godfrey to get the 30,000 he needed to build Commuter, an installation piece. Commuter is a 50 foot long coffin with toy trains running up and down it, and also a serious attempt to create consciousness within a machine.This isn't 'artificial intelligence', but non-biological intelligence: a real mind outside of a messy biological structure like the brain. The Gods were angry, though, and while attempting to get Commuter built, Rob went through incredible hardship and misfortune, including serious injury, and on a number of occasions he...

In early 1990 the author travelled by train from Paris to Beijing, stopping off along the way and taking three weeks to make the journey. This was during the final days of the break-up of the Soviet Union and just as China was opening up to the rest of the world. It was a fascinating time to travel through these regions. However, having written a number of travel books, and because there's a plethora of literature about the Trans-Siberian Railway, the author decided instead to do Paris to Beijing as a surreal novel. Some of what's recounted in Mr Jolly's Journey is based on events that did...