Having read many Monteilhet, and enjoyed many of his books, I must admit that if I were to offer one to someone that would not be it. It looks like it was written in a few days, some built with countless brackets on all subjects, as many moods; everyone takes for his grade. HM would he soured over the years? or he tries to push the envelope to one critic speaks of him outrageously and make it to the pub? Three stars anyway because we never get bored.