This book by noted war correspondent Osmar White follows his travels through the Pacific and South East Asia in the late 1940's. He reports on social and political issues following the establishment of independence, and the restoration of colonial rule, in nations in the region. The focus, however, is very much on his own experiences and travails. Indeed the initial chapters suffer perhaps from an excess of local color - disjointed stories of acquaintances renewed with improbable characters from White's own reporting days in Papua New Guinea during WW2. But as White moves into new territories his storytelling becomes powerful reporting. His description from the inside of the Westerling coup attempt against the fledgling Indonesian Government in 1950 is journalism at it best and most dangerous. The concluding chapter, a very personal report on Portuguese rule in East Timor is an a searing indictment, reminding readers that the suffering of the Timorese people goes back long before the Indonesian invasion and occupation. For the sake of these last two episodes White's book deserves a high recommendation, although it might be best to start with these stories at the back of the book and work your way forward. ( )