At the age of thirty, Rory Stewart was appointed coalition deputy Governor of two provinces in the Marsh region of southern Iraq. He kept a journal of his experiences struggling to control assassinations and tribal conflict, rebuild the region's infrastructure and establish a new Iraqi government before the hand over of power in June 2004. His time in the Marsh region culminated in a terrifying siege during which he and his team were under sustained attack by insurgents. Haunted by his previous work and travels in Asia, Rory brings a unique sensitivity and perspective to the daily interactions between Iraqis and the coalition and to the perils and even comedy of foreign occupation.