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Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis
Powerful essays by such luminaries and literary giants as Daniel Day-Lewis and Martin Amis offer a compassionate look at the crises that most affect our world today.
An important book for anyone interested in global issues, Writing on the Edge features twelve essays that take the reader to countries in crisis. Award-winning writer Martin Amis experienced firsthand the problems of gang violence in Colombia, South America; New York Times bestselling author Tracy Chevalier focuses on the abuse of women in Burundi, East Africa; Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis writes of meeting children raised in war-torn Palestine; Booker Prize–winning author DBC Pierre addresses the unusually high incidence of mental health issues in Armenia. Award-winning photographer Tom Craig was commissioned by the humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders to document the writers in these places in trouble. His striking photographs amplify the sense of compassion required while also demonstrating that beautiful humanity is the victim of tragedy.
An important book for anyone interested in global issues, Writing on the Edge features twelve essays that take the reader to countries in crisis. Award-winning writer Martin Amis experienced firsthand the problems of gang violence in Colombia, South America; New York Times bestselling author Tracy Chevalier focuses on the abuse of women in Burundi, East Africa; Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis writes of meeting children raised in war-torn Palestine; Booker Prize–winning author DBC Pierre addresses the unusually high incidence of mental health issues in Armenia. Award-winning photographer Tom Craig was commissioned by the humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders to document the writers in these places in trouble. His striking photographs amplify the sense of compassion required while also demonstrating that beautiful humanity is the victim of tragedy.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 13, 2011
this is incredibly good and makes for a permanent lump in your throat.
these short essays should be required reading for all bombers and drone pilots, the prez obama, high school students etc. even martin amis' is a superb glance at fairly unspeakable conditions for folks to be trying to live in and with. The Amis essay is about Cali and is just mad-max insane with worm infested barefoot poor folks armed to the teeth and not afraid to shoot. What difference does it make? and hey, you might get a little cred while you're still around. or flash to Burundi, where rape has been institutionalized, no shit. I personally worry about arts and music and green energy being institutionalized here in my little midwest cowtown, while women and girls are getting raped as part of everyday life, oh ho hum, little suzie got ravaged today. But let's get that diamond encrusted watch band as it will go good when i DO go to some underground art show.
you get the pic. this book is hard hitting, eye opening, and does not give a feeling of hope for us humans. But then, it does offer hope, becasue there are people all over, in Burundi, in Armenia, in france, usa, japan, south africa, even the frickin sudan, who are working hard everyday to help, educate, cry out, are DE-institutionalizing horror and savagery. It's weird to me, but why doesn't "the news" ever really talk about stuff like this? USA Today says Tripoli fell, but you know why we even know what Tripoli is? oil baby. drill baby. Meanwhile MSF doesn't have enough money to buy bandaids. ah hell. forget it.
these short essays should be required reading for all bombers and drone pilots, the prez obama, high school students etc. even martin amis' is a superb glance at fairly unspeakable conditions for folks to be trying to live in and with. The Amis essay is about Cali and is just mad-max insane with worm infested barefoot poor folks armed to the teeth and not afraid to shoot. What difference does it make? and hey, you might get a little cred while you're still around. or flash to Burundi, where rape has been institutionalized, no shit. I personally worry about arts and music and green energy being institutionalized here in my little midwest cowtown, while women and girls are getting raped as part of everyday life, oh ho hum, little suzie got ravaged today. But let's get that diamond encrusted watch band as it will go good when i DO go to some underground art show.
you get the pic. this book is hard hitting, eye opening, and does not give a feeling of hope for us humans. But then, it does offer hope, becasue there are people all over, in Burundi, in Armenia, in france, usa, japan, south africa, even the frickin sudan, who are working hard everyday to help, educate, cry out, are DE-institutionalizing horror and savagery. It's weird to me, but why doesn't "the news" ever really talk about stuff like this? USA Today says Tripoli fell, but you know why we even know what Tripoli is? oil baby. drill baby. Meanwhile MSF doesn't have enough money to buy bandaids. ah hell. forget it.
April 27, 2010
The second new book to shed a light into rarely seen corners of the world, is ‘Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis.’ from art house Rizzoli. In this book, assembled by award-winning photographer Tom Craig and edited by Dan Crowe, a host of established authors report on a world that also often escapes the public eye; environments and regions where the people have fallen victim to the onslaught of uncontrolled military conflict, disease epidemics, rampant malnutrition or natural disaster.
Such images do not a pleasant viewing make and one can’t help think that for every beautifully published travel journal out there, there is an equally, if not more pervasive darkside that seldom, if ever, gets seen. That appears to be just what Craig is trying to bring to our attention with this ambitious project.
Working in conjunction with France’s Medecins Sans Frontieres (known to us as Doctors Without Borders), Craig travelled the world with a cadre of evolved writers who explain the stories behind the pictures of destitute, despair and in some places, the wistful hope of better days ahead. From Tracy Chevalier’s exploration of institutionalized rape in Burundi to Martin Amis’ portrayal of the gang violence of the overarmed but otherwise desperate desplazados of Cali, Colombia, to deeply personal and revealing essays from the war torn, disease infested and resource starved backlands of the Congo, Armenia, the Sudan, the Ukraine and more, an intense narrative and visual story is unveiled.
While Craig’s book focuses much of its light on the medical needs of the so-called third world and HRW levels its dispatch on human rights abuses that are mostly the product of corrupt regimes, both books go a long way towards prying open a window into a world of pure human desperation that is far afield from both middle class daily life and most of the reportage that is commonly available in our daily media.
Of course, reporting thusly is only the beginning, albeit an important one, as we cannot attempt to fix that which the world cannot or does not want to see. And from the perspective of these writers and researchers, there are few people or organizations that have much, beyond a sense of service, to gain in revealing these often intentionally obscured sights. But merely for that alone, we should be grateful for those who do.
Such images do not a pleasant viewing make and one can’t help think that for every beautifully published travel journal out there, there is an equally, if not more pervasive darkside that seldom, if ever, gets seen. That appears to be just what Craig is trying to bring to our attention with this ambitious project.
Working in conjunction with France’s Medecins Sans Frontieres (known to us as Doctors Without Borders), Craig travelled the world with a cadre of evolved writers who explain the stories behind the pictures of destitute, despair and in some places, the wistful hope of better days ahead. From Tracy Chevalier’s exploration of institutionalized rape in Burundi to Martin Amis’ portrayal of the gang violence of the overarmed but otherwise desperate desplazados of Cali, Colombia, to deeply personal and revealing essays from the war torn, disease infested and resource starved backlands of the Congo, Armenia, the Sudan, the Ukraine and more, an intense narrative and visual story is unveiled.
While Craig’s book focuses much of its light on the medical needs of the so-called third world and HRW levels its dispatch on human rights abuses that are mostly the product of corrupt regimes, both books go a long way towards prying open a window into a world of pure human desperation that is far afield from both middle class daily life and most of the reportage that is commonly available in our daily media.
Of course, reporting thusly is only the beginning, albeit an important one, as we cannot attempt to fix that which the world cannot or does not want to see. And from the perspective of these writers and researchers, there are few people or organizations that have much, beyond a sense of service, to gain in revealing these often intentionally obscured sights. But merely for that alone, we should be grateful for those who do.
March 22, 2012
Excellent photojournalism rendered in beautiful and horrific photos of refugee camps and war-torn regions where Doctors without Borders operates, paired with essays from skilled authors describing their experiences in these places. Tragic and incrediblly sad. Made more-so by the fact that I had never even heard of many of these places. After awhile the tragedy becomes almost interchangeable as similar violence is committed on behalf of one group against another. A damning condemnation of violence and pointless racial hatred, but also a testament to the good that DWB does and to the perseverence of hope, beauty, and courage in the face of such sorrows.
July 31, 2010
Documentary photographer Tom Craig invited authors to join him on journeys to medical outposst set up by Doctors Without Borders. Author like Jim Crace, Tracy Chevalier, Hari Kunzru, Ali Smith and many others. The essays are short, direct and often heartrending, the photos are beautiful and disturbing.
April 21, 2012
An interesting look at the work of Doctors without Borders.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews