Accumulated from a lifetime of travel, these late reflections by the great journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski take afresh look at the Western idea o... read full description
reviews
Nov 23, 2008
Ian
rated it: 
[close] This is a set of 5 lectures by the eminent Polish journalist based on the idea of The Other as experienced by himself during his travels and as discussed by Malinowski and other Polish philosophers.
Fabulous humanist stuff.
From Page 59:
"Does modern literature help to break down these prejudices, our ignorance or our plain indifference? Once again, I don't think it does much. I looked through the French literary awards for the past year, and did not fi More...
Fabulous humanist stuff.
From Page 59:
"Does modern literature help to break down these prejudices, our ignorance or our plain indifference? Once again, I don't think it does much. I looked through the French literary awards for the past year, and did not fi More...
Jun 06, 2009
Thorne
rated it: 
Speeches reduced to paper often make mediocre books. This book is a collection of Kapuscinski's material that was intended to be delivered in person before an audience. There is barely enough content to stretch between two covers, and much of it is repetitive -- suggesting a ploy by the Verso editors to milk a few bucks from Kapuscinski's recent passing. There are a few interesting concepts (e.g., a brief argument that literature dropped the ball along with journalism in addressing the upheav
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Jul 25, 2011
Malcolm
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Ryszard Kapuściński is in may ways the writer's journalist – a Polish foreign correspondent who worked in the 'third world' as an agency writer while also giving us some of the great books of political journalism and observation – his Shah of Shahs about the 1979 Iranian revolution, and The Soccer War about armed conflict between Guatemala and Honduras, are some of the most compelling things I have read (years ago in both cases). In this very short book – 92 A5 pages – we get a series of lecture
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Apr 21, 2011
Nacho
rated it:
Anagrama tiene la costumbre de estirar las referencias de sus autores publicando cualquier cosa que haya salido de su pluma. Lo hace con Auster y, desde que se le concedió el Príncipe de Asturias y falleció, lo está haciendo con Kapúscinski. Este libro recoge varias conferencias del periodista que, en su mayoría, datan de los años noventa. Todas ellas se centran en el modo el que las personas engloban a sus semejantes en categorías que los distinguen basándose en nacionalidades, razas y credos.
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Dec 18, 2011
Ken
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Although a slight and succinct book, Ryszard Kapuscinski's collection of lectures "The Other" carries a big message. It is about how Western society deals with other cultures, typically those of non-white origins. It's easy to look around the world and see how we are failing as a human species. War, racism, and exploitation are just some of the unsavory ways white societies have interacted with "The Others." Kapuscinski, a noted Polish journalist who has extensively wr
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Mar 27, 2009
Simon
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I know Kapuscinski by reputation only, and I'm sure that his proper travel/politics books are very interesting, but this collection of a handful of lectures probably doesn't show him in the best light. It seems that when he moves from telling specific, individual stories into the realms of philosophy he can only muster a few tired and banal generalisations. Edward Said did all this stuff in more detail and with more insight and intellectual rigour in "Orientalism" 25 years ago.
Feb 19, 2010
D.
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The Other is a series of speeches/lectures by Ryszard and they all deal with his view on how we deal with The Other on a global and personal level. The progression of his ideas is appealing and the integration of ideas from philosophers is nice. This book made me research other books to read.
The book has a very clean, concise style, so even dealing with 'big' topics, it is still easily understood.
The book has a very clean, concise style, so even dealing with 'big' topics, it is still easily understood.
Jan 20, 2012
P.
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I took this book as a companion on my journey through Italy and loved every bit of it. As a matter of fact, I often found myself inclined to stay in my hostel room reading this as opposed to going out. Kapiscinski's reflections on the third world hit really close to home and made me enthusiastic about the world *I* live in and have yet to discover in the fashion he has.
Jan 06, 2012
Ashley
rated it:
Overly simplistic and at times unabashedly racist. The Other might be the mirror through which we see ourselves, but this function needs to be problematized. This text might be a good intro to some who aren't familiar with the concept of The Other, but if these ideas aren't new to you, this book isn't worth reading.
Jan 03, 2009
Allisonperkel
rated it: 
A fascinating book on what it means to be human - and how we interact in this world. Partially Eurocentric and yet against holding that viewpoint. He branches out and shows how that view is dangerous and wrong for the coming century. A wonderful and quick read
Jul 26, 2010
Hanny
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It would have been nice to see one of these lectures, but reading all of them was a bit of a drag.
Everything here is hit on in RK's better books, and in a more interesting way. The one thing he does expand upon here (which, so far as I can tell, he only discusses otherwise in his Lapidaria) is the world revolution brought on by the harvesting of electricity. This is a huge and fascinating topic, and it hasn't been considered deeply enough. But, it's a passing topic of this book, whic More...
Everything here is hit on in RK's better books, and in a more interesting way. The one thing he does expand upon here (which, so far as I can tell, he only discusses otherwise in his Lapidaria) is the world revolution brought on by the harvesting of electricity. This is a huge and fascinating topic, and it hasn't been considered deeply enough. But, it's a passing topic of this book, whic More...
Jan 06, 2012
Sean
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The Other is a brilliant selection of works by Kupuscinski that displays the philosophy behind his extensive travels and excursions. This book is a necessity to understanding Kupuscinski.
Mar 31, 2011
HKd
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Very disappointing book - still a huge fan of Kapuscinski but this was a little too thin and weak. I'm guessing it was published after he died to cash in on his name.
Jun 25, 2011
Matt
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This is a collection of lectures given by Kapuscinski on the idea of 'the other' and how it relates to the self and to society. While very interesting, it did not have the coherence of his Travels with Herodotus. I am uncertain if this is due solely to the nature of the lectures, or to the quality of the translation.
That being said, it still expresses the attitudes and ethics of this remarkable man. I recommend it, but only to those who have already read and enjoyed something else by More...
That being said, it still expresses the attitudes and ethics of this remarkable man. I recommend it, but only to those who have already read and enjoyed something else by More...
Jul 31, 2011
Interesting book, good reflections on the idea of the other. handy for anthropologists and journalists too, I imagine
Jan 16, 2010
Unimpressive. I expected more from someone with many years of experience as a journalist traveling all over the world. He notices that the three main components to a person's outlook when interacting with a foreigner are race, nationalism, and religion...without any elaboration or added depth. If it weren't for the somewhat academic flavor, I would guess this was a high school social studies paper rather than the collected insights of an experienced foreign correspondent.
Feb 12, 2010
Lindsey
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Interesting thoughts on how we relate to "others", specifically those from non-western regions, and how a person's own sense of identity shapes relationships to others, nationalism, etc.
Feb 08, 2012
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