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The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur

Daoud Hari

Start date: July 18, 2017

Finish date: September 12, 2017

Discussion: SUDAN: The Translator

Why we're reading this: Our choice for Sudan is The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur.

The young life of Daoud Hari–his …more
[close] Our choice for Sudan is The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur.

The young life of Daoud Hari–his friends call him David–has been one of bravery and mesmerizing adventure. He is a living witness to the brutal genocide under way in Darfur.

The Translator is a suspenseful, harrowing, and deeply moving memoir of how one person has made a difference in the world–an on-the-ground account of one of the biggest stories of our time. Using his high school knowledge of languages as his weapon–while others around him were taking up arms–Daoud Hari has helped inform the world about Darfur.

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SUDAN: The Translator

As You Read - What are you thinking about The Translator?
By Cait · 15 posts · 4 views

last updated Sep 13, 2017 08:16AM

What Members Thought

Jul 14, 2017 Elizabeth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: around-the-world, africa, memoirs, middle-east

This book gave a rare glimpse of the Darfur genocide from the inside, as recounted by a man who grew up in the region and led Western journalists in to cover the violence. It was a very difficult and powerful read, as would be expected, and was also beautifully written with many gems about life in Sudan (for example, many details surrounding the author’s love of camels and the realities of trekking through the desert). It reminded me of The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between, which i This book gave a rare glimpse of the Darfur genocide from the inside, as recounted by a man who grew up in the region and led Western journalists in to cover the violence. It was a very difficult and powerful read, as would be expected, and was also beautifully written with many gems about life in Sudan (for example, many details surrounding the author’s love of camels and the realities of trekking through the desert). It reminded me of The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between, which is now one of my favorite books, and I think admirers of that book would also appreciate this one.

Hari tells us the story of his life, starting with his childhood in a village in Sudan, his education in Khartoum, his attempt to illegally immigrate Israel, his time in prison in Egypt, his return to his family during the conflict, and finally his work as a translator and guide for journalists. It is really *his* story, even though Western news articles at the time focused on the journalists he guides while leaving his name as a footnote. I appreciated the chance to read the story from his point of view. I did wish the title had been stronger to further emphasize the fact that Hari was really the brains of the whole operation, not just a translator brought in on the side.

The tone is very removed and optimistic, which I found striking. There was no mention of symptoms of PTSD in either Hari or others, so it made me wonder if some aspects of the experience had been left out or softened (although of course I am by no means an expert on what to expect).

I disagree with some previous comments that suggest the book is too sympathetic to Americans. Hari is not shy about sharing his critiques, such as the impracticalities of UN refugee camps and the way the United States contributed through its greed over oil. His book was also a great way to glean some information about the political backdrop, such as the Janjaweed militias that were baited into conflict by the government (despite a former understanding of peace between the Arabs and native Sudanese), attacks on the people directly by the government, and the rebels who were persuaded by the government to switch sides. ...more

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Sep 06, 2017 Becki Iverson rated it it was amazing

This is up with The Return in my list of favorites from my Around the World in 80 Books book club here on Goodreads. I found this such a good read; it was conversational, engaging, and extremely informative about the history of and life in Sudan. There was so much I didn't know about Sudanese history that directly impacts the ongoing genocide in Darfur, and seeing this history through Daoud's eyes really gives the Western reader an access that is totally lacking from press coverage of the crisis ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Sylvia Bull rated it it was amazing

Hard to believe that I could laugh and have hope while reading this book about the genocide in Darfur. But I did! And the last line is one of beauty and challenge. Thanks, Daoud, for your work and witness!

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Aug 23, 2017 Cait rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-by-poci, black-author, sudan, africa, non-fiction, reading-around-the-world, immigration-ban, memoir

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