AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan is currently dominating the News. Should British forces remain or withdraw? What's it all about? If you want a fresh insight on Afghanistan, I would recommend Asne Seierstad. During the war in Iraq many journalists were "embedded" with American or British troops, and it's a practice that has changed the way that wars are reported and witnessed around the world. Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstad chose a different path. She embedded herself with an Afghan family after the overthrow of the Taleban. The result -- a novel called "The Bookseller of Kabul" This summer, I also read her other three books, based around her journalistic experiences in Iraq, Serbia and Chechyna. In each of them, she was clearly putting her life on the line as a journalist to report the stories. She provides a fascinating insight into some of the most troubled parts of our world.