An Academy Award-nominated actor and a renowned human rights activist team up to change the tragic course of history in the Sudan -- with readers' help
While Don Cheadle was filming Hotel Rwanda, a new crisis had already erupted in Darfur, in nearby Sudan. In September 2004, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell termed the atrocities being committed there "genocide" -- and yet two years later things have only gotten worse. 3.5 million Sudanese are going hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced by violence, and ,000 have died in Darfur to date.
Both shocked and energized by this ongoing tragedy, Cheadle teamed up with leading activist John Prendergast to focus the world's attention. Not on Our Watch, their empowering book, offers six strategies readers themselves can implement: Raise Awareness, Raise Funds, Write a Letter, Call for Divestment, Start an Organization, and Lobby the Government. Each of these small actions can make a huge difference in the fate of a nation, and a people -- not only in Darfur, but in other crisis zones such as Somalia, Congo, and northern Uganda.
专业书评
From Publishers Weekly
Over the past five years, youth groups, religious organizations, politicians and individuals have responded to the crisis in Sudan in increased numbers. This book is a guide for these already involved, as well as those who are interested in taking action, or speaking out against the mass killings that continue to occur in the country's Darfur region. Coauthored by Cheadle, actor and star of the film
Hotel Rwanda, and Prendergast, senior adviser of the International Crisis Group, the book is a pastiche of practical information, instructions, memoir and history. As a handbook for budding activists, it's informative and, at times, inspiring. The combination of charts, lists and first-person accounts create a simple and reasonable path to action. But as a source for information about the conflict in Sudan, the book falters. The history is neither clear nor succinct, and there is not much of it. Furthermore, although Cheadle and Prendergast's personal anecdotes are entertaining, they overshadow the few anecdotes about the Sudanese living through the crisis. The book's most interesting moment, besides the useful advice on how to get involved, is its delving into the government's excuses for inaction.
(May 1)
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From Booklist
Famous for his Academy Award-nominated performance in
Hotel Rwanda, Cheadle teamed with human rights activist Prendergast to plead for greater awareness of the horrors of genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and issue a call to action. After a brief history of the tensions behind the genocide, Cheadle and Prendergast detail how they each got involved in the campaign to end genocide in Darfur. They offer profiles of individuals who have mounted efforts to end the genocide as well as suggestions for how all of us can get involved, including writing letters, joining activist organizations, raising funds and awareness, and lobbying the government.
Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
George Clooney
"Don and John are two of the great champions of ending this genocide. With this book they remind us that the individual can change the world for the better. And they also remind us that we all bear responsibility in this crime against humanity. I'm proud to call them my friends."
Kirkus
"A persuasive and authoritative call for action with an engaging personal touch."
Publishers Weekly
"The book is a pastiche of practical information, instructions, memoir, and history."
George Clooney
"Don and John are two of the great champions of ending this genocide. With this book they remind us that the individual can change the world for the better. And they also remind us that we all bear responsibility in this crime against humanity. I'm proud to call them my friends."
媒体推荐
"A persuasive and authoritative call for action with an engaging personal touch." --
Kirkus
"Don and John are two of the great champions of ending this genocide. With this book they remind us that the individual can change the world for the better. And they also remind us that we all bear responsibility in this crime against humanity. I'm proud to call them my friends." --
George Clooney
"The book is a pastiche of practical information, instructions, memoir, and history." --
Publishers Weekly作者简介
Don Cheadle is an Academy Award-nominated actor whose films include HotelRwanda, Traffic, and Crash. Cheadle lives in Los Angeles.
John Prendergast is Senior Advisor to the International Crisis Group andCo-Founder of the ENOUGH Campaign. Previously John worked at the WhiteHouse and State Department during the Clinton administration, where he wasinvolved in a number of peace processes throughout Africa. John has alsoworked for members of Congress, the United Nations, human rightsorganizations, and think tanks. He has authored eight books on Africa, thelatest of which he co-authored with actor/activist Don Cheadle, entitledNot on Our Watch. John travels regularly to Africa's war zones onfact-finding missions, peace-making initiatives, and awareness-raisingtrips involving network news programs, celebrities, and politicians.
