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04 July 2007
What a delightful surprise.
I heard about this on Oprah's Book Club and was skeptical, but I must say just a couple chapters into this wonderful tome I was hooked. It's a page-turner.
The characters were fascinating, from tiny, unimposing Chechnya to mighty Barotseland.
The interplay between nations had me transfixed, and in all candor I must admit I shed a tear or two at longstanding alliances gone sour, though after reading about so many of them I felt it was just a trifle overdone. The conflict between Iraq and the United States seemed somewhat forced but the author redeemed himself with the sub-plot involving Shiites and Sunnis.
I can hardly wait to see the next edition. Will Iran successfully build (and use) a nuclear weapon? Will atrocities continue in Darfur? What formerly-unnoticed world leader will suddenly take center stage and delight us with their antics, or turn us off with their bravado?
Kudos to Donald Snow for making the complex enjoyable and entertaining.
04 July 2007
This book destroyed my brain.
0 of 1 found this helpful Midway through this book I inserted a tweezer into my ear and began removing my brain one tiny chunk at a time, so overwhelming were the concepts presented.
I'd like to resume reading but unfortunately removed the part of my brain that allows me to comprehend words of 17 syllables or more. On the plus side, I seem to have cured my epilepsy.