"This book is a must-read for those with interest in the fields of international relations, political science, and global history. US policymakers, especially those working in such fields as the Peace Corps, peacekeeping, and international development, will also find this book very important." -- H-Net Reviews (H-War) ".provides a valuable and personally compelling account of experiences within the international development profession . Many of the most insightful aspects of this book come from the author's position as an outsider within the field . Flash Points may well be an essential book for the many people who have wondered what this work is like and what it means to take a chance and board a plane to a foreign place with the goal of doing good." -- Arizona Attorney " Flash Points should be required reading for professionals in foreign assistance programs and could be used in formal training programs for aid workers before heading abroad. It will also interest the general reader.

Many will find it a fascinating story of one woman's experiences abroad. By leaving many pages with illuminating quoted dialogue, all readers will be lured on through Jade Wu's adventures, right up to the final 'flashback.'" -- Robert W. Maule, Retired US Senior Foreign Service Officer "While there are a variety of books on the subject, few offer the unique perspective of the author who has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and worked in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, countries where there have been major military, peacekeeping, and development efforts and investments. Wu's perspective is that of an objective, critical observer who has worked in the trenches. Her observations are well-informed, astute, and compel the reader to think carefully about the ways in which this country often wastes enormous resources--including human lives--in efforts that are ill-conceived." -- Thomas R. Carter, Retired Senior Advisor, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.