A mostly solid, lively portrait of the first woman prime minister of an Islamic country, in the ""People in Focus"" series. Perhaps because Bhutto is such a young head of state, or perhaps because a number of her early years were spent in such places and institutions as Radcliffe and Oxford, her life story seems fresh and accessible enough to inspire most readers. Quotes about or by her punctuate the text; anecdotes paint her as a shy but charming young woman; and stories of her prison years reflect both her intellect and her spirit. Hughes captures all this admirably, with only one obvious flaw: she assumes that Bhutto is all these things despite being a woman of the Islamic faith; and rather than finding her leadership position to be an outgrowth or result of her own character, upbringing, or milieu, she depicts the stateswoman as very nearly the antithesis of that faith. Nevertheless, amiable fare. Photos; bibliography; index.