I have an essay due this week. Naturally, as any self-respecting student should, I’m procrastinating.

Of course, as a part-time, mature student, I also have Life to be doing around my studying. Admittedly, I could probably help myself by reading relevant things, of which there’s plenty (Conrad has been written about A LOT), instead of going to the library and getting non-relevant things to read.

Things like Rory Stewart’s Politics on the Edge, which is a Quick read. Which meant I only had one week to read it, not three, not that it wouldn’t take much time. Oops. Not really what I needed at this moment in time, with the essay hanging over me.

On the other hand, it fortunately isn’t a door-stopper sort of book, like it probably could have been. So, actually, one week was plenty. Even if it probably shouldn’t have been this week.

It’s funny how, when you have lots of time to read a book, it’s easy to just not read it. To think, not right now. Maybe later. I’m not in the mood. I have other things to do.

But when there’s a strict limit, you just get on with it.

Helps that I quite like Stewart’s writing style. I’ve previously read his The Places in Between about his walk across Afghanistan.

I’ve not really read many political memoirs, so in that respect I’ve no idea how this one measures up. I keep meaning to read them. I add them to shopping lists and watch lists. But then I never actually get around to either buying or reading them. I don’t even have any in the Cube of the Unread.

Of course, it helps that I already know that Stewart’s view tallies with my own when it comes to certain of his ex-colleagues. I was looking forward to the condemnations. Praise is boring – let the damnations rain!

And rain they did.

I’ve heard lots of people wonder if Stewart will return to front-line politics. I have no idea either way, but judging from this book, probably not for a while. Not until quite a few other people have left first. It felt like a very bridge-burning sort of book, even if he only named those he thought had shoulders broad enough to bear it.

On the other hand, I very much enjoyed reading it.