Ok, regardless of your opinion concerning David Hicks, you have to read this book. It is really not possible to have a view on the Hicks case without knowing his side.

I confess to always feeling a little uneasy with the incarceration of this Australian and his treatment not only by the US authorities but also his own government. So, with the release of his own book, told in his own words, there was never going to be a better way of learning more about this extraordinary case.

And learn I did ... Hicks walks the reader through every step of what brought about his circumstances, takes responsibility for bad decisions and in the process reveals exactly how simple and ignorant he actually was. His plans, for all the most honourable reasons were spawned by the righteousness of youth and he would not be the first young person to find himself in trouble through such acts.

But in the case of Hicks, the proverb 'wrong place at the wrong time' never rang so true. The chain of events that took him to Guantanamo are too lengthy to even begin analysing in this review, and it is extremely important for any interested Australian (or American) to read for themselves David's story. Only then can you make up your own mind and come to grips with what he is saying.

The book is very well referenced with a total of 192 endnotes that provide further reading, document references and quotes. Painstaking research by his wife that lends a certain credibility to the work.

One thing I think is important to remember though, and this is for those who still believe David is a terrorist ... if he is guilty and a trained, foaming-at-the-mouth killer and destroyer of our way of life, why after 6 years of prison and torture (yes, it has been proven they used torture in Guantanamo), now that he is free, has he not slinked off to his own kind and began making plans for our downfall? Instead, he brings attention to himself, risks the ridicule of his opponents and trys to explain himself, his actions and bring to light the injustice of Guantanamo and its illegal courts.

Doesn't sit right with my idea of terrorism.

One last word that I think should go to David himself ... 'This book is my story and my way of simply putting down the facts - how things were and are - after so many years of misinformation. The record cannot be left as it currently stands.' ( )

I want to avoid the obvious political issues that are raised by a book like this and really focus on the person. As an Australian, David Hicks was completely demonised by the media and we were told that he was dangerous, lethal and a terrorist. Having read his account, all I can think is that he is none of these, he really is just an idiot. Misguided. Naive. I do believe this account, and I think the portrayal of him is wide of the mark. He comes across as so stupid that it is reflected in his writing, which in parts you actually have to read slowly to understand. Why would he go and train in Kashmir? He has no real connection with the Kashmiris and a sympathetic reading of his account makes him seem foolish, not lethal. I'm really not sure what else to make of this, except to say that I am sure this his stories of what happened in Guantanamo are just scratching the surface... ( )

We all scratched our head's when John Howard stuck firm and refused what seemed like Justice in the treatment of David Hicks. Here Hicks raises the curtain and adds light to the horror of his Guantanamo experience. After reading the disturbing descriptions of torture, unexplainable treatment by US allied forces and the plain failure of Australian officials to act justly one is still left bewildered at the actions of any government that ever supported the establishment of the Guantanamo 'solution'. ( )