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Dec 14, 2012sharon711 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Alfred Jones is our quintessential scientist. His career highlight: Effects of increased water acidity on the caddis fly larva. His life is turned on end when he’s ordered to take on the impossible: introducing salmon into a wadi in Yemen. How this assignment affects his life and that of people close to him propels the plot. Never dull, the story twists its way to its surprising end. One thing is sure. As the sheik affirms: faith is the cure that heals all troubles. Without faith there is no hope and no love. This story, told through diary entries, newspaper articles, Hansard records and journal items (all forms of written communication) presents a powerful picture of the conflict between science, politics, and religion. At the core I think it's about the failures of communication. All the main story lines end poorly for the characters mainly because of inept communication with the people who matter. A clever novel at its heart and an entertaining read on the surface. Highly recommended!