Small Wars Permitting

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Insight into corners of the world otherwise missed - Rated
Having started on the Lamb trail as an indifferent bystander I am now a full-blown fan of this sweet-faced reporter whose beaming, innocent smile fronts a piercing mind and an all-seeing eye. I can see how it's possible to miss the 'personal opinion' if that's what you want, but she sees it as it is and you see it through her eyes. That's the strength of her writing. That is her personal strength, from which comes the courage to sit and talk with some macho drug- or war-lord who thinks that a mere woman, especially one as diminutive as this, couldn't possibly see through his posturing. She doesn't need to 'comment'. The head of the Pakistani SIS is an evil piece of work because he is, you don't relate to him, yet the ex-Taliban torturer (see 'The Sewing Circles of Herat') has something about him to be pitied, what he DID was evil. Christina Lamb addresses your intelligence, it's up to you what you do with it.

Fabulous, inspiring and enlightening - Rated
This is a fabulous book by one of those rare journalists who really knows how to spot the penetrating detail and goes the extra mile to get behind the story. It is full of insights into everything from how the Taliban came about to what went wrong in Iraq, with a bit of Rio carnival and fattening farms in Nigeria thrown in for light relief. I started it in the bath and sat there for three hours till my skin had gone wrinkly!

Too much reportage, not enough insight... - Rated
Christina Lamb is a long-time foreign correspondent, latterly of the BBC, but previously for national newspapers. She has a special interest in, and knowledge of, the Middle East.

Overall, this is a slightly disappointing book, if only because Ms Lamb is clearly an intelligent, empathic individual who has met some fascinating people, and lived through important periods of history. Allied to her journalistic expertise, you would expect the colour and flavour of events to leap out of the page.

Unfortunately, the narrative spins around the globe without any clear logic, and minor nuggets get lost in a lot of wider general reportage, as opposed to insight. There is not enough of Ms Lamb's personal views, reflections and understanding, and rather too much of a statement of events. Compared to, for example, Fergal Keane, the style is too detached.

I want to know what the author's views are; how she sees the world going; how she reconciles her roles as observer and unwilling participant; and why she thinks people do the things they do. For me, much of this was lacking.