No, this is not another medical thriller by Robin Cook. This Robin Cook is a British politician who resigned his cabinet post in March 2003 in protest over Britain's involvement in the impending war on Iraq. Cook, who served as Tony Blair's foreign secretary and (later) leader of the House of Commons, was one of Blair's close friends and confidants. His book, the bulk of which is taken up with extracts from diaries spanning the two-year period leading up to his resignation, provides a wealth of information for political junkies.