One of the ornaments of the Irish Times is its foreign correspondent Lara Marlowe. Now billeted in Washington, she spent many years in Paris and before that, Beirut. She also roamed the globe on assignments.

She wrote in Saturday's Irish Times magazine:

"Without ever intending to be a war correspondent, I reported from front lines in Central America, the Horn of Africa, the Caucasus and, especially, the Middle East and Iraq.

"The wars I covered, big and small, short and long, added up to some 15 conflicts, depending on how you counted."

I am delighted to report that she has now written a book about her experiences The Things I've Seen: Nine Lives of a Foreign Correspondent (Liberties Press, €17.99). Can't wait for my copy to arrive.