'Shoes possess magic powers,' writes journalist and shoe obsessive Paola Jacobbi as she totters her way through the history of women's footwear and wonders why it is that women ( from Imelda Marcos to Carrie Bradshaw) love their shoes so, so much. Jacobbi pontificates (sandals are the bikini of footwear)

psychoanalyses (the relationship between shoes and sex)

and has fiery opinions (ankle boots are quite simply a no-no). She also has plenty of good advice: choosing the right heel for your physique, how to keep shoes lasting long and how to judge a man by his footwear. Witty, charming and stylish, I Want Those Shoes is an irresistible little book, almost as irresistible as buying that one last pair...