For the last year or so I've been following the Doonesbury character BD as he recovers from an above knee amputation following an RPG attack in Iraq.

BD's leg popped up in the cartoon strip again this week -- and his whole story has just been collected in a book.

Last year, my friend Jo bought me a print of one of the first of BD's post-amputation strips, which I've framed and hung in my study.

Now, Jo has gone one better.

With the chutzpah possessed only by a World Affairs Producer, she wrote to Gary Trudeau and told him my story.

To my amazement and delight he replied with a signed copy of the new book.

It reads "To Stuart -- An Inspiration for BD! Good luck and all best, Gary Trudeau. Sept 1 '05. NY"