Emma Sky’s excellent book, The Unravelling, is an account of her time in Iraq working as the representative of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Kirkuk and then the political advisor to US General Odierno. As witness to the workings of the American war machine and the heroic efforts of honourable men and women of various nationalities who’ve been attempting the impossible - to bring democracy to a country riven by brutal dictatorship, war, corruption and tribal conflict - she writes an engaging and compelling story.

If you rate the book, you might like to try the following titles, too. A couple are in the same vein. I chose the third because The Times labelled Sky as the ‘modern day Gertrude Bell’. Georgina Howard’s wonderful biography of the original lady, Queen of the Desert, is a ‘must read’. Click on the images to expand.

Incidentally, the latter has been filmed starring Nicole Kidman. Between thee and me, I’m not sure of the casting. To my mind, it was crying out for Emma Thompson. But, then, what do I know…?