BOB Woodward, of All the President's Men fame, lifts the veil on the Bush administration's attempt to avoid telling the truth about Iraq to the US Congress, to the world at large and more often than not to themselves.

Gleaned from interviews with key players, this book gives the reader a sense of immediacy, which adds to its impact.

Despite having unprecedented access to Bush, Woodward does not shy from uncomfortable truths - and shows backbone that many US journalists did not in their slavish reporting during the Iraq conflict.

Though Woodward does not commit himself on the case for the invasion, his assessment is a damning indictment of the management of its aftermath.

This is required reading for anyone wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the mess Iraq is in now.