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Rating: 
Summary: spell binding
Review: "Ambushed" is a compelling and spell binding attention grabber. Ian's Stewart's book is an account of a war correspondants life and his views of a world few of us know. Every chapter builds on the eye witness' first hand experience with the human condition in our world. Hard hitting and to the point. Excerpts of terror and brutality. And then this brash and honest reporter meets a vicious and abrupt end to a promising career. What follows is by far and away the books most riveting story. In book two, Stewart describes surviving against long odds and the long and painfull journey to regain his life. He prevails and tells a painfull but joyous story of perseverence and triumph. Stewart's narrative skills are strong. His story gathers you up and charges ahead. I could not put it down. A great story of courage and survival.
Rating:
Summary: A gripping account
Review: Ian Stewart paints a vivid picture of what it means to be a reporter in a war zone. His story is a page turner -- I read the book in just three nights. I found the book to be an honest account of the terror of war and why one journalist after another is drawn to such horror. Especially compelling is when Stewart grapples with himself over why he allowed himself to be in a situation that almost took his life. As a journalist, I was left wondering if covering all those forgotten wars is really worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: A good introduction to life in the war zone
Review: Ian Stewart's "Ambushed" is a commendable book worthy of use as a introduction to life behind the lines, however it falls short of the actual horrors of war. Stewart's writing is linear, easy to read, and palatable for most readers and the stories he has to tell are courageous. However I am a bit reticent to give his book four or five stars because he, albeit probably unintentionally, doesnt portray the soul-crushing horrors of war as they really are. Having worked and witnessed the atrocities in Sierra Leone, the DRC, and Cambodia myself I sympathize with Ian but I can assure you his book is a trip to Disneyland compared to the actualities of the situation in these war torn countries. I'm glad that his book brings light to the Sierra Leone situation (which fortunatly is being extinguished) to the public. If one wants a more to real life of todays modern and barbaric wars I suggest reading Jon Steele's "War Junkie". This horribly named book was written by an ITN news photographer but he should have been a journalist. Jon has covered twice as many wars as Ian(not that this is a comparision) however no book has ever given me nightmares or brought more emotion to what really happens behind the lines as his book has. Read it with caution, I can still smell the stench of Rwanda's murdered...
Rating: 
Summary: The true story
Review: In this book you get the information you will not see on any TV station. You recieve first hand the experience of a war reporter. The author is very good about telling you the situation before he travels to his destination. He doesn't hold anything back. He makes the story come alive with his descriptions.
My favorite part of the book was his recovery period. He had to work so hard to find out who he truly was and what he had to overcome was amazing. It opened my eyes to the dangers that reporters face to bring us the news.
Rating:
Summary: Same as Penguin Canada Freetown Ambush?
Review: The first impression I had of Ian Stewart, when I met him in VietNam, was that of the prototypical "foreign correspondent" - right out of central casting. Since then he has gained maturity the hard way - but he has gained it. His analysis of the problems and pitfalls of West Africa are right on target - some of which I have learned first hand in my own travels. If you want a taste of West African adventure without risking your life, read this book!
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