Jon Swain, River of Time Review

Overall Rating

A fascinating insight into the life and times of a war zone reporter. Fresh and incisive resume on the murky world of international war politics of South East Asia in the 1970's and 80's but never straying far from the poignant human dimensions, of those caught up in the maelstrom of Vietnam and Cambodia.

None really although I felt that the interesting bits about why he doggedly pursued his journalism in the face of the obvious perils, were only touched upon. I would have liked to know more about his formative years in India.

Jon Swain, River of Time is a book about Jon Swain's early years as a war reporter in S.E.Asia. He lives close to the action and witnesses the sad disintergration of Vietnam and Cambodia in the aftermarth of the US withdrawal in 1975. A fearless (foolhardy?) reporter, he writes from the thick of the action, about the pain, suffering and displacement of those he has grown to know and love. His style is direct and pithy but full of personal guilt and reprimand. This indulgent streak follows his growing love of Jaqueline which is never strong enough to overcome his ambitious journalistic streak, something he lives to regret. It is a journey which carries him through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, a course he shares with the Mekong River.