His narrative has a refreshing trueness about it--in a world where "The most difficult thing to hear...is truth. All news is filtered and angled." He doesn't filter or angle and yet, he overplays his facility for the informal (and sometimes dangling) anecdote and the reader may require more cohesion in places. The total effect, though, is pretty wonderful, and people who want insight into Africa during this difficult transition period will be rewarded.