If you have ever wondered what people got up to in the freedom thatwas the '70s this book is for you. Don't expect it to be any ordinary travel book. O'Brien lifts you out of your- self and transports you in placeand time to behind The Iron Curtain, to Greek islands still unexploited, to idyllic Turkish fishing harbours and an Iran on the very brink of Revolution. She eventually reaches Tibet, where an unexpected personal mission is fulfilled. Her years on the road (and on a budget) bring us social history lived and recorded by a working-class kid with wit and compassion- intent upon adventure. O'Brien paints with words. Expect to laugh and cry.Peter Bullen (Portrait Artist)