In this collection of 27 essays Stevenson, a journalist and former Harper's
magazine editor, writes in a myriad of guises: that of a son, a father, a businessman, a pleasure seeker and an interested observer. He likes to investigate the reality behind news headlines, whether economic, political or social, and is as comfortable explaining the post-Glasnost Russian banking system as he is the history of Argentina's "dirty war," or the Tour de France. A typical essay begins with Stevenson waking early while on a business trip in an exotic locale—say in Thailand or New Guinea—and queezing in a trip to an even more remote destination to satisfy his curiosity. Despite the impression of spontaneity, Stevenson is often well prepared for these journeys and has done a significant amount of background reading, which he also describes along with his experience. The essays offer concise, insightful portraits of many political hot spots from the past 15 years, including Pakistan, Jordan, Northern Ireland and South Africa. Unfortunately, a number of these essays editorialize, dating them severely; others repeat story lines unnecessarily and some, written for the Bucknell University alumni magazine, make unfamiliar references to the university. The strongest pieces are those describing Stevenson's decision to move to a small village outside Geneva, Switzerland, and the challenges his family faced assimilating: the children's bilingual education, their dependence on catalogue orders from the U.S. and their struggle with (and respect for) the solidity of Swiss culture. (Sept.)
