Sometime in the future, at a detention camp for the political enemies of anunnamed state run by a man known as "Great Uncle," a writer named AlanSheriff--once famous and successful--is now the leader's ghostwriter. Thisnovel by the author of SCHINDLER'S LIST is about the lust for power in aworld frighteningly close to our own, and one man's struggle to surviveand tell the truth. Thomas Keneally got the idea for the book from amagazine article about Saddam Hussein, who--like Sherif's boss--wrotetrashy novels during his reign of terror. A New York Times Notable Bookfor 2004.