Galeano's condensed history is, like life, at once dark and fascinating (Mina Holland Observer)A kind of epigrammatic excavation, uprooting stories that have been mislaid or misappropriated, and presenting them in their full glory, horror or absurdity . . . with a wry and scathing wit (Gary Younge Guardian)Deeply humane . . . he has produced literature that will endure, monuments to the imagination (Toby Green Independent)Wonderful, glittering, remarkable (Financial Times)Marries meticulous journalistic detail with lyrical flair ... his inner Stephen Fry can point out that for Mayas, Jews, Arabs, the Chinese and others, January 1st doesn't herald the New Year at all, before adding the optimistic kicker that given the transience of time, this day is as good as any other "to be bright and joyous as the colours of an outdoor market" (The Times)