This was an excellent book and very interesting reading. The collection of essays are varied and informative. As an Aid Development student I highly recommend it for anyone who would like to read up on some political history and western opinions. I don't agree with all of them, but the views are arguments are interesting in themselves. Of particular interest are the described motivations for facilitating Myanmar's entry into ASEAN. This book is a must for the political, sociological or culturally inclined.

The book contains pieces by noted academics such as Amy Gutman, Martha Minow and Kent Greenawalt, providing a reasonably through overview of the moral issues surrounding truth commissions. The book tries to pose and discuss questions such as "Do truth commissions sacrifice justice for pragmatic reasons?" and "Can truth commissions be justified by appeals to non-retributive theories of justice." Almost all of the essays are well written, and on the whole the book provides an excellent introduction into the theory behind truth commissions, though it focuses almost exclusively on the South African model and generally ignores commissions in Latin America and Europe. Although a number of the essays cite historical events, the book lacks pieces describing the actual formation and work of South Africa's Truth Commission; nor does it contain any primary documents. However, most of the relevant documents are easily accessible on the web, and their absence does not seriously detract from the book.

The book is solidly aimed at the academic realm; those wishing for an easy-to-read, general introduction to truth commissions should probably look elsewhere. However, I highly recommend this book as a general reference and for students and scholars seriously interested in the theoretical underpinnings of truth commissions.

Of all the great Victorian era African explorers, Thomson is probably the least feted considering his immense capacity for travel and endeavour. Paradoxical perhaps, as the gazelle most often predated on in literally thousands of wildlife documentaries featuring the central African plain bears his name. It is however unlikely, as this book readily demonstrates, that fame and fortune formed the basis of his motivations. He had a voracious appetite for the new and appears to have simply enjoyed the company of others and the pure excitement of seeking them out. He is feted in circles that know him as being a compassionate man, and one of the few of the traditional African explorers who actually respected those that he met on his many trips - he never fired a shot in anger, or as more often was the case, in contempt.

Rotberg's book is a meticulously researched biopic. His attention to detail and evident respect for his subject shine through the text and can't fail to infect the reader with an enthusiam for finding out more about this remarkable man.

This book was very informative to read. It puts South Africa in a new light. The difficult transition from racial discrimination to a new governmental style can be seen in the crime rates and statistical information given. Parts of the book may be hard to understand if you never have read up on the subject before, but because of international input, many sides of the situation are looked at.

This author has also codeveloped a book about genocide and if you like this book you will like that one as well. I am a college student with a minor in history and I found that his writing style is excellent. I recommend this book, but do a little research first to get the full effect of it.