Must-read not for the faint-hearted

General Stanley McChrystal, to coin a cliche, was a larger-than-life army commander who wanted more.

Author Michael Hastings, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, gained his own notoriety when the article he wrote for Rolling Stone saw Gen McChrystal summoned back from Afghanistan to be sacked by United States President Barack Obama.

Now, Hastings has published his book on his time spent with the general and his staff.

The book is not for the faint-hearted nor true believers in the US presence in Afghanistan. But as an observer of (a) US foreign policy, particularly around its motivation for entering wars, and (b) the history of Afghanistan this book is a must-read by any standard.

Rolling Stone was a favourite publication of mine more than 30 years ago, and is still bought while travelling.

Dr Hook sang a begging song called Cover of the Rolling Stone which applied totally to McChrystal.

Hastings was reasonably sure that his article would feature the general on the cover when the article was published. But in the end (in fact this probably hurt more than the sacking by President Obama) McChrystal was bumped for Lady Gaga and ended up inside rather than on the cover.

I loved reading this book. I was sorry it ended and I am sure other readers will enjoy the experience, even it it reads more like fiction than truth.

It was gratifying to see that politics within armed services is alive and kicking and that party animals are not confined to financial market operators earning huge bonuses during a global financial downturn.

Here is an army general, and staff, touring the world, attending global forums on winning the war in Afghanistan, having to commandeer planes, trains and buses to meet deadlines while drinking huge amounts of liquor and eating only the finest of meals as US marines are being killed in a war that is becoming increasingly unpopular.

A lot of people have been sceptical of embedded war journalists, this reviewer included. However, Hastings shows that with a bit of courage, and an amazing array of sources within the armed forces, that a real story can be told.

Incredibly, Hastings was on another embedded mission when his magazine article made worldwide headlines. Surprisingly, he did not end up suffering friendly fire, instead being feted by some soldiers who appreciated the revealing behind-the-scenes portrait.

• Dene Mackenzie is the political editor of the Otago Daily Times.