We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda

by Philip Gourevitch | Nonfiction |
ISBN: 0312243359 Global Overview for this book
Registered by watrshpdwn of El Cajon, California USA on 3/3/2003
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by watrshpdwn from El Cajon, California USA on Monday, March 3, 2003
I read this book unaware of the situation in Rwanda, and was appaled by the lack of international intervention. A must read for those interested in world issues, politics, or simply people with a conscience.

Journal Entry 2 by watrshpdwn from El Cajon, California USA on Friday, March 28, 2003
Mailed to idioteqnician.

Journal Entry 3 by idioteqnician from Manchester, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 2, 2003
APRIL 2:
After reading first-hand accounts of the Rwandan genocide in the March 2003 issue of Harper's magazine, I decided I wanted to learn a little more. This book received very good reviews on Amazon and watershpdwn kindly offered to send it to me. I read the first chapter yesterday and was glad that the author addressed right away that guilty feeling we get that we are purposely shocking ourselves with tales of others' misfortunes. I will report back when I have finished reading this.

APRIL 9:
This book was extremely well written. I found it moving and appalling in so many ways and I am so glad I read it. These stories from Rwanda challenge us to define humanity – our own and that of every other being – and to answer the question of whether our actions align with the values we declare.



People seem interested in this book so I am setting up a BookRay for it. Names in bold indicate people who have already received the book.

Larkonapost - La Grande, Oregon, USA
HikingReader - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Ardy - Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Karoda - Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Branna - Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
Nrrdgrrl - Hilversum, NETHERLANDS
WittyJean - Loveland, Colorado, USA
Phillycarol - King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA
Hawkette - Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
YowlYY - Sydenham, London, England, UNITED KINGDOM
Zyana - Porto, Porto, PORTUGAL
Fio-Dagua - Maia, Porto, PORTUGAL
LuisdeMedeiros - Évora, Évora, PORTUGAL
Jenny-lou-who - Kingston, Ontario, CANADA
Lindlec - Nottingham, England, UNITED KINGDOM
Gumshoe007 - Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
Tembo - Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, GERMANY
Scism - Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Journal Entry 4 by LarkOnapost from Salem, Oregon USA on Monday, April 28, 2003
This book looks like it will meet all of my expectations. It has won 5 different awards and covers a topic I'm very interested to learn more about.

From the unofficial prologue:

"The dead of Rwanda accumulated at nearly three times the rate of Jewish dead during the Holocaust. It was the most efficient mass killing since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "

This book arrived in a package covered with talking cats and a red squirrel inserted in the front cover. I will try to find some cute animals to travel with this book on genocide.

Thank you so much, idiotech, I can't wait to read this.

5/20/03 The picture is of General Kagame

Journal Entry 5 by LarkOnapost from Salem, Oregon USA on Tuesday, May 20, 2003
This book is especially challenging to read quickly. There is a lot of history to digest, and sometimes I wish I had someone to clarify things for me. Additionally, it is a very intense subject, and once I read 100 pages in one sitting, and couldn't shake the gloom afterwards, even when surrounded by my closest friends at a dinner party. My favorite part of the book is around page 180, when Gourevitch writes about the causes of the genocide.Because before thenI kept thinking "How?" nearly every page. He becomes more human as he talks about being depressed and taking drives around the countryside. One of the mysterious and charming things about this book is we learn almost nothing about the narrator's personal life. It makes the observations he has like your own, since we don't know his personal attatchments.

I can't begin to talk about all my impressions of this book, but it made me want to read more about African history, and has helped me make more sense out of news from the region as well. I'd love to buy a copy of this book to give to someone, but it hardly makes a happy gift. "Here's an extemely thoughtful and well-written book about genocide". Hmmmm.

I think photos would have helped this book. Not of the gore, but rather portaits of the people who tell the stories. I would like to see Odette, Paul, and Bonaventure. Also scenes of the country. I'm grateful to Gourevitch for writing this book.

Journal Entry 6 by HikingReader from Las Vegas, Nevada USA on Thursday, May 29, 2003
Just a note to let the ring know that the book arrived safely in Milwaukee. I will begin reading this as soon as I finish another book on a lighthearted subject "Year of Wonders" (about the plague)... I am about 50 pages from the end and will begin We wish to inform you...promptly. Thanks for sending it along to me!

6/11/03- I am about 50 pages from the end of the book, but in the course of reading it, my husband became so interested in the topic (I jabbered on and on about Rwanda, incredulous...) that he decided to piggyback onto the bookring. He is about 45 pages behind me and it has been very helpful to have a political science major to ask questions! We have had some pretty intense discussions since this book arrived! It is very thought-provoking and there is a good mixture of background, anecdotes, and analysis. I am PMing Ardy today to prepare to send it out. I will write a full journal entry when I finish the book and digest a bit.

Journal Entry 7 by HikingReader from Las Vegas, Nevada USA on Monday, June 16, 2003
Sometimes I am reminded of the importance of reading things that may be a little more "work".

This book's reward is a bit elusive. It is undoubtably a difficult subject- an incomprehensible tragedy; but I feel grateful to the author for writing it all down and making a record of it. Just passing it along in this bookring makes me feel a little better, the fact that people want to know more and hopefully that knowledge will continue to travel.

The complex history of Rwanda was elucidated in this book, yet I still felt I could have used a timeline of the key events and dates. I also agree that photos of some of the people interviewed would have been touching. I liked the way that the author kept the narratives of the country and its people mixed throughout the book. Just as there is no clear cut enemy or definitive cause on which to place the blame squarely, there is no one person who has an objective view. Even the author acknowledges this and his humble and sensitive attitude help the reader deal with their own mixed feelings of guilt, horror and helplessness.

My husband is a political science major who avidly follows current events and foreign policy in the news. We spent our daily evening dog walk discussing and trying to make sense of the "Stories from Rwanda". We are no closer to any real answer, but this book has brought us closer together and sparked a renewed interest in political activism.

What will this journalist write next? What is the current situation in Rwanda? I feel left with lots of questions...but in a way that is kind of the whole point.

My husband has a little more to read, but in the interest of keeping the ring moving, I am cutting him off on Tuesday (tomorrow) night. This book will go out to Ardy on Wednesday AM.

Thanks for the opportunity to read it!!

Journal Entry 8 by Ardy from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, August 17, 2003
My apologies to all in the bookring. I hadn't realized that I hadn't journalled this book when I received it. It has taken a long time to read. Mostly I read while life goes on around me, the TV is on for other family members, people coming and going etc. I found that I needed quiet to read this book.
It's well written, thoughtful and thought provoking. Now I have to go buy 3 copies. One for myself, one for my step-son and one for my son in law. So anyone who thinks bookcrossing robs authors and publishers of their deserved income take note.

Sending this on to Karoda now. Again, I apologise for not journalling when I received it, and for taking so long to send it on.

Journal Entry 9 by karoda from Louisville, Kentucky USA on Monday, August 25, 2003
I received this book today!

Journal Entry 10 by karoda from Louisville, Kentucky USA on Friday, January 2, 2004
Gourevitch has me pondering the nature of humans. This book is very "stilling" and provocative. Like everyone has mentioned, it takes work to digest this story. As I read this, I'm attempting to gleam the wisdom it holds for the current state of world affairs and I just wonder if the propaganda, greed, etc., which spurred the actions in Rwanda, is best understood on a continuum of violence in any shape and form everywhere in the world, be it personal and/or collective? This kind of mob mentality I equate to lynchings that took place in the US and the "carnival" like atmosphere that surrounded them. It really is a stretch for me to understand it.

I've pm'ed Branna and am waiting for a reply...if I do not hear from her by the 5th of Jan., I'll pm the next person.

Journal Entry 11 by karoda at -- Controlled Release in Calgary, Alberta Canada on Saturday, June 5, 2004
Released on Saturday, June 05, 2004 at -to fellow bookcrossing member. in Calgary, Alberta Canada.

This book was released some time ago (April) but a couple of months after I received Branna's address and for that I apologize.

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