Twenty Tales from the War Zone: The Best of John Simpson (Quick Reads)

Having read most of John Simpson's books, I looked forward to another interesting read. I was however disappointed and not to put too fine a point on it, felt somewhat conned.

The book was quite thin and the print large with several pages at the back devoted to publicising other (Quick Reads) Without those the book would have been extremely thin and hardly worth printing particularly as most of the stories were repeats from previous books.

I cannot believe that John Simpson with his vast experience of war zones and journeys into the unknown, would not have new stories to tell.

I feel it was a cynical exercise by both publishers and John to make a bit of extra money and while I have great respect for him, I do feel somewhat let down.

The title promised more (0/0 people found this helpful)

Having read John Simpsons 'going to the wars' and enjoying it thoroughly i was a bit dissapointed with this read. Okay, as advertised, 'short stories', but these are too short, interesting reads but they felt a bit like showboating and didn't feel succinct.
John has always appealed to me greatly as a journalist, these don't do him justice, he should of invested more time, it feels like they have been knocked out on a long haul flight. Sorry John, i am going to have to re-read your first mentioned book i think.

Funny, Exciting, Moving and Inspiring (0/0 people found this helpful)

In just few pages, John Simpson takes the reader into a journey through some of the most significant events that shaped the lives of millions in Europe and the Middle East, i.e. the fall of the Berlin wall, the 2nd Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Islamic revolution in Iran, and the Bush's wars on Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to the above events, the book contains few chapters describing Simpson's encounters with a number of prominent figures such as Nelson Mandel, Princess Diana, Colonel Gadhafi and Osama Bin Ladin.

Although the chapters are short (5 pages each), they tend to concentrate on a specific aspect within the event, focusing on the human element of the story, engaging the reader and invoking emotions.

Having been a fan of John Simpson's journalism, this book has certainly lived up to my expectations. Thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended.

Perfectly formed (4/4 people found this helpful)

If you've not read John Simpson's books then this is a perfect starting point.

If, like me, you're a bit of a fan then this is a very nice work and can be read in a few hours, yet the memories will stay with you for weeks.

And like Simpson himself, I too had a nightmare about the IRA man's chilling words to him at the Funeral.

If I say anymore, I'll give too much away!

Enjoy!

Brilliant Book by a Brilliant Journalist (4/4 people found this helpful)

Read this book in one day and in one read. I forsook 2 episodes of my favourite TV sitcom just to read this book. Reading a good fictional Crichton novel is one thing but reading the real 'McCoy' from John Simpson who has cheated death more often than Fidel Castro is something else. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan ; Simpson must have at least seen the colours of the Pearly Gates . He keeps the narrative simple, and you witness how he matures as his journalistic career progresses.
Scoops with Gadhaffi, Saddam, Khomeini,Bokassa and Osama show this guy has guts.He is at an age where most people water their lawns but instead whets our appetites for quality news.
Enough said; writing this review prompts me for a reread and it's already late.

Twenty Tales from the War Zone: The Best of John Simpson (Quick Reads)

John Simpson

Editorial Review:

Reader Reviews:

Twenty Tales From The War Zones. The Best of John Simpson (Quick Reads) (1/1 people found this helpful)

The title promised more (0/0 people found this helpful)

Funny, Exciting, Moving and Inspiring (0/0 people found this helpful)

Perfectly formed (4/4 people found this helpful)

Brilliant Book by a Brilliant Journalist (4/4 people found this helpful)

Similar Products

Categories