Admittedly I chose this out of morbid curiosity, and so when I noticed the additional Human Rights title on the inner page, I felt a tad bit disappointed. Barring that initial regret that this wasn't to be a toe-curling account of physical torture but rather an academic argument against its growing ...more
“Good review of the law and practices regarding torture. The debate we're having now, like our politics, is at a very childish level. Opponents of torture argue "it doesn't work". Well, then there's no problem, just people too stupid to see that it isn't working. As soon as you point that out to the ...more
Probably a 3.5. This is a series of essays about torture around the world and consequently is a rather depressing book. It was not my choice to read, but was required for a course that I am tutoring at the Mount. Some of the essays were actually interesting - like how many techniques of torture were ...more
This book would be a great example for a "not bad" or "average" tag. It is a the equivalent of a paint-by-numbers image of how Human Rights Watch defines, opposes and publicizes torture by sovereign nations. All the essays are short, some are simplistic, some quite good--not surprising is that one o ...more
A sad and harrowing look at the industry of torture, official denial around the globe (except in the USA, where we openly proclaim policies and declare that Geneva Conventions are quaint and out of date). There are chapters by investigators, survivors, those who treat the victims' psychological afte ...more