'The author's knowledge, understanding and love of the country shine from every page. This will surely become the definitive account of East Timor's most traumatic years.'
Fergal Keane, BBC Special Correspondent and author of Season of Blood
'If there is another journalist who knows as much about East Timor as Irena Cristalis, I haven't met them. Bitter Dawn is informative, vividly written, and acutely observed.'
Jonathan Mirsky, ex-East Asia editor, The Times
'Irena Cristalis's account stands out as a literary gem. A tale of courage and humanity on a colossal scale - a truly riveting book.'
Peter Carey, Trinity College, Oxford
'Irena Cristalis writes as a committed witness. Her portraits of many of the individuals, high and low, who steered the struggle to its final victory give her account a special feeling of immediacy and warmth.'
Carmel Budiardjo, author of Surviving Indonesia's Gulag
'This is the book to read. Possibly the best account of the tragic events that preceded and followed in the wake of the ballot on August 30, 1999.... A highly readable book full of drama and tenderness for the victims of those terrible events.. [and] studded with beautifully crafted portraits of individuals trying to adjust to the situation'
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, August 2002
'A highly readable book full of drama and tenderness for the victims of those terrible events'
Jakarta Post
'Irena Cristalis' eye-witness account of East Timor's struggle for independence and justice combines a thorough understanding of the country with a deep commitment to its people.'
John G Taylor, author of East Timor: The Price of Freedom