Rediscovering humanity in a devastated world

The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook

**Viking, €18.90**

**Reviewed by Dermot Bolger**

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Winning a war is never easy: winning the peace is harder still. No image sums up George W Bush better than the ludicrous photo of him, ten years ago, landing on an aircraft carrier to commence a self-congratulatory, triumphalist victory speech about the invasion of Iraq, under a massive banner declaring 'Mission Accomplished'.

In one respect he was right: in just ...