Nasty, Brutish, and Short is a collection of irreverent essays about life overseas. The author no longer has to hold his tongue about his experiences-which means it's payback time. He now speaks his mind about all the strange people and places he has encountered around the world over the last twenty years.

And he takes the reader on a funny and endearing jaunt to a dozen countries, from England to Egypt, and Afghanistan to Haiti, answering crucial questions like Why are Pakistani driving ranges so dangerous? And, How long can Bulgarians actually hold a grudge?

Unlike other foreign travel books, the author isn't just passing through. He has lived in these dangerous and difficult places, often for years at a time. He knows their people, streets, and customs like the back of his hand. It was part of his job. Sometimes his life depended on it.

Todd Millick was in the U.S. government for nearly twenty years. He studied medieval history at the University of Colorado and received a master's degree from Cambridge. He has also published a collection of poetry called Short and Sweet (Middle Island Press, 2016).