Sowing the Dragon's Teeth: Land Mines and the Global Legacy of War

by Philip C. Winslow

Each year an estimated twenty-six thousand people are killed or maimed by land mines-more than 100 million of them sown like the mythical dragon's teeth in over seventy countries. These weapons are designed to maim soldiers, but most victims are civilians, especially the rural poor. Winslow writes about these people and the Campaign to Ban Landmines (which was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize in 1997). He tells about the efforts to pull the dragon's teeth from the earth so that it can be restored to those who live on it.

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Lori Clark-Erickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lexile: 1290
Historical Event/Time Period: Present-day Angola, Africa
Liked: I liked the fact that it was a real experience and I liked that the author had gone through this journey first-hand.
Disliked: I disliked that it wasn 19t adventurous and exciting for me. When I was reading the book, I felt like I was studying for a history test instead of getting lost in a story.
Summary: Philip Winslow has a curiosity for the history of the Angolan War. To satisfy his hunger for knowledge, he heads to Angola to study and help the deactivation of the many remaining land mines. On this journey, Winslow meets many interesting people, soldiers, and victims who struggle with the effect that the land mines have on their lives. This book expands the readers 19 knowledge about the terrifying history of the Angolan War and the scarring effects it has on the people today.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

"People who make land mines should put them in their own country." - Angolan nurse. One of the more frightening aspects of the book is how governments lack motivation to rid their country of land mines as they make a good device for controlling the civil population. Their is no good here. Even Schwarzkopf and other respected military leaders believes they shouldn't be used. Another frightening aspect of the book is mention of some new devices that have been banned, including blinding lasers.