Brian Spears, at his blog New in Des Moines, reviews Frank Smith’s Guantanamo. “This is a really interesting exercise on many levels,” Spears writes, remarking that “this act of multiple translations illustrates the point that no real original can exist.” He continues:

The book itself makes for fascinating reading, in large part because of the stories Smith chooses to draw from. His speakers are all men who claim to have no connection with the Taliban or al Qaida, and we are given no reason to challenge their stories. Indeed, given the sordid history of the US treatment of detainees from the start of that military action in 2002, and given the number of detainees who have been released/cleared of all charges, there’s good reason to believe these men are telling the truth. Or that they at least represent that group of men who were taken captive on little to no evidence.

More from New in Des Moines here.