Edu Manzano’s top picks

The name Edu Manzano is synonymous with versatility. Dramatic actor, natural comic, witty host, action star, public servant – he’s been all that and more. And so one wonders: What else could he possibly still want to do?

Unknown to the public, Edu harbors a secret dream. Before his foray into the entertainment world, the award-winning actor-host dreamt of becoming a lawyer.

Drawn by the mystery, the suspense, the nobility and the excitement of the legal and political world, it is of little surprise then that the books that clutter his bedside table are the kind that ensnares the readers into the exhilarating world of politics, espionage and legal battles.

Edu Manzano’s Booklist

1. The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum – The spellbinding thriller displaying Ludlum’s trademark skills of intricate plotting, breakneck pacing and high-wire drama spinning around a worldwide conspiracy involving an investment banker, a justice department agent and an organization called Sigma left an indelible mark on Edu’s mental bookshelf.

2. The Brotherhood Of The Rose by David Morrell – The "astonishing novel of fierce loyalty and violent betrayal, of murders planned and coolly executed, of revenge bitterly, urgently desired" fascinated Edu so much that he can’t help but recommend it to others.

3. The Conspiracy Theory by Jane Haddam – Edu likes the suspense and the mystery of the book the Mel Gibson-Julia Roberts movie was based on.

4. The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency Of Bill Clinton by Joe Klein – Aside from the enthralling fictional books that he loves, Edu is also intrigued by this non-fictional, insightful, often funny book that provides a serious and intelligent look at the successes and failures of the Clinton administration.

For as long as there are good books to read, Edu Manzano’s love affair with the written word promises to be as pleasing and stimulating as the man himself.

The Reading Club recommends the book Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee. I love Indian authors. I find many similarities in their points of view. Available at all National Bookstores and Powerbooks.

And the magazine Vanity Fair is always interesting to read. This issue has Hugh Grant on the cover. Available from Emerald Headway for subscriptions.