Speaking with the Angel

The contributors'' list of this collection of freshly penned literary monologues, published to help The Treehouse Trust, a charity for autistic children, reads like a Who''s Who of the richest, hippest authors in the UK--with a healthy smattering of ta lent from across the pond.The editor, Nick (High Fidelity) Hornby, as well as writing a moving and very heartfelt introduction--his own child is autistic--submits one of the best efforts: "Nipple Jesus", a slyly funny parable about a security man gua rding a chunk of dubious modern art. Other notable contributions come from Irvine (Trainspotting) Welsh with one of his identity-swap-stories, this time about a Scottish stud-muffin turned into an unwitting gay, and John (The Best A Man Can Get) O''Fa rrell, with a predictably funny, surprisingly edgy confessional from a mime artist slowly going to the dogs. Other big names included are Helen Fielding, Robert Harries, Zadie Smith, Roddy Doyle, et al.As with many of these projects, there is a sligh t feeling of incestuousness; Hornby actually admits that Harries is married to his sister, and that O''Farrell went to his school. But given the goodness of the cause, it''s no real reason to quibble.