Emergency Sex

Its the early 1990s and three young people are looking to
change their lives and perhaps also the world. Attracted
to the ambitious global peacekeeping work of the UN Andrew
Ken and Heidis paths cross in Cambodia from where their
fates are to become inextricably bound. Over the coming
years their stories interweave through countries such as
Rwanda Bosnia Somalia and Haiti – war-torn lawless places
where the intervention of the UN is needed like nowhere
else. Driven by idealism the three struggle to do the best
they can caught up in an increasingly tangled web of
bureaucracy and ineffectual leadership. As disillusionment
sets in they attempt to keep hold of their humanity
through black humour revelry and emergency sex. Brutal and
moving in equal measure Emergency Sex (And Other Desperate
Measures) explores pressing global issues while never
losing a sense of the personal. Deeply critical of the
Wests indifference to developing countries and the UNs
repeated failure to intervene decisively the book provoked
massive controversy on its initial publication. Kofi Annan
called for the book to be banned and debate was sparked
about the future direction of the UN. Brilliantly written
and mordantly funny it is a book that continues to make
waves.