Tim Page revisits the places, and times, he spent as a celebrated photo-journalist in Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. In fact this is the record of several trips back since the fall of Saigon, on a quest in part to settle the story of the fate of his one time companion Sean Flynn. There were no five star resorts in Vietnam during that time, and Page's descriptions of hotel-hells must rate among some of the most damming (and disturbing) ever written. But for all of that there is an affection for the people, which is seems is reciprocated. That Page seems to have smoked his way through multiple kilos of cannabis along the way doesn't seem to have diminished his ability to function - presumably he developed some immunity to its effects in the 60's.

Page is by no means gung-ho, his stories reflect back constantly on death and loss. At times it seems that his desire to memorialize the hundreds of journalists who lost their lives on all sides of the conflict is at odds with the official and unspoken policy to 'move on', but it gave some sense to the story, and perhaps to Page's life during those years that he spent looking for Sean's remains in the Cambodian back country. In the end, against all odds, he succeeded in setting up the Indochina Media Memorial Foundation. Page - astonishingly - survived not only the war (seriously wounded four times), but also his lifestyle. There's a certain chaotic, sometimes breakneck, speed to this book, but it comes together in the end. The only thing really missing are the photographs. Highly recommended, and particularly for anyone with a interest in journalism. ( )