'A stirring portrait of courage and tenacity! In this captivating life story, the charming Brazilian internationalist emerges as a wry, Scotch-loving, womanizing philosopher, a kind of secular saint' - Mark Bowden, author of "Black Hawk Down". Sergio Vieira de Mello - peacemaker, troubleshooter and charismatic negotiator - lived an extraordinary life at the centre of some of the most dramatic international crises of the last half century. As UN High Commissioner he tried to bring an end to the slaughter in Bosnia, talk to genocidal warriors in Congo and clear up the fallout of the Iraq invasion, where he was killed in 2003.Through the prism of this extraordinary life, Samantha Power, one of the most prominent thinkers in international affairs today, tells the story of the flashpoints in our recent history - and the perilous world we live in. 'A brilliantly researched biography about an extraordinary man' - Richard Beeston, "The Times". 'Bravery is one of the few qualities valued in all cultures, and Sergio had it in spades! Power is well qualified to tell the story of his eventful life and tragic death' - Adam Roberts, "Independent".
'A work of vivid reportage' - Scott Turow, author of "Presumed Innocent". 'Remarkable ! a gripping story' - Edward Mortimer, "Guardian".
