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I have never read anything more eloquent in contemporary literature, nor in fact anything more moving. Dr. Akhavan’s autobiographical human rights odyssey inspires me as a young human rights lawyer - and simply as a human - to be more vocal in speaking truth to power, being more authentic and empathetic with others but also to be more dedicated to living a life of service. His bold vision for the betterment of the world is rooted in lived experience, as his journey took him to besieged Sarajevo, grieving Rwanda, Iraqi prisons and international court rooms, but what brings this book home is the fearless sincerity with which the author points out the obvious yet unspoken dire situation in the global north, where injustice persists despite superficial displays of lip service to liberal values by elites. He calls out the apathetic complacency and self-ventured decadence that Kees us from the feelings and actions necessary for true change. How can we hope achieve any positive change if we persist to isolate ourselves in islands of comfortable consumerism, distraction ? This, the author calls an act of self harm, which deprives so many of us from the joy of leading meaningful lives rooted in acts of service, deep connections, spiritual growth and true belonging. The book also includes succinct but superbly written insights into historic moments and key concepts of international law that students of international relations study for years, but which the author makes both easy to understand and relevant for the lay reader. What he adds, is life lessons rooted in lived experiences having been a direct or indirect witness of these historic moments, but also a profoundly inspirational spiritual vision of the unescapable reality of the interdependence and unity of humankind. This comes as both a promise of hope and a warning: world peace is not only possible but inevitable, according to the author, but to allow any part of the body of humankind to suffer while the rest ignores it is sure to lead us all to tragedy. I can only hope more people will read this book in our dark times of wars and democratic recession, we can all use the inspiration.