This is a beautiful, lively and entertaining tribute to sleeper trains. It's not just that Rajesh's interest in how railways connect us geographically is engaging and evocative; it's not just that her personal style means we feel we are in friendly conversation with her, it's also that Rajesh digs deeper: she's intrigued by the relationships we make on board trains - especially those of the night variety - by the chance encounters, by the ways the railways arrived in the first place and the importance they've held for communities and societies for decades and longer. But more than this, Rajesh's humanity is what makes her an important - and vital - writer: she faces head on the truth that those who are privileged to be travelling by sleeper train often travel side by side with those who are using the trains for more prosaic reasons; those for whom journeys on trains have gone from life-ending to life saving. And most of all, she recognises that in tandem with her travels and her writing, like all of us the world over, the last two years have been marked by a terrifying, terrible, all consuming horror - to be travelling through our daily lives in the presence of a live streamed genocide. It was this humanity and this truth that marked Rajesh's book out for me and which gives it its place on my shelf.

Having loved Monisha's travels on her Eighty Trains Around the World I was really pleased to receive a proof copy of her latest set of adventures and it was no disappointment. Travels across Europe, including the Santa Claus Express, and across the world ( a first captivating visit to South America is spellbinding) are documented in Monisha's wonderful, compassionate style. There is no doubt that the Night Train has a life all it's own and this is explored brilliantly from what storage there is to the all important question of is there a dining car! Monisha loves her trains and deftly explains much of the history of them and the stations they pass through (plus some lovely highlights of the towns and cities that she stops off on along the way) but I think what Monisha loves more is meeting the people: the staff, who have seen it all, the strangers , who are quite willing to explain their life stories and why they are on these trains and her friends and family who join her on her adventures. Each journey has joy, laughter, some trepidation and total compassion for her fellow travellers. I can think of no better advert for the sleeper trains of this world and I can think of no better guide.

For anyone looking for an escape from the world we live in today, can I recommend Monisha Raheshs Moonlight express. Step on board with her as she goes around the world by night train and I promise you will not regret it. A beautiful and evocative journey awaits you.