An Ordinary Man : An Autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina & Tom Zoellner
6/12/06: I started this book last night right after I finished the last McKenna book. I got about 1/3 of the way thru.
I thought it might take me a little longer to read (than say, a sci-fi or fantasy book I devour). But so far it's an easy read and I'll finish it way before Book Club.
There is a bit of history that must be explained and it's done with what I imagine a different voice than how I picture Paul. It doesn't take a way from the book, it's just a little jarring from what I imagine. It is necessary.
I am comparing it to the movie, even tho it would be better not to...but alas, I've seen the movie so I can't really separate the two.
I'll complete this when I complete the book.
6/16/06: I took a week off from reading this book. The original pub date of this post was the 11th. I changed it to today to allow it to float up to the top of the posts.
Understanding the political climate gives greater understanding to how the genocide happened and Paul's writing is easy to understand and matter of fact. What's lost in the book is the vivid descriptions of the horror. It was pretty easy for me to read that people were hacked apart by machete and that shouldn't be easy for me to read or digest. I know the book isn't focusing on the bloodshed but rather the ways simple humans can get around the monster machine but there would have been more impact had he given more human faces to some of the people in the hotel. I know they all have stories, very similar I'm sure yet it's thru the human thread that I'd be able to connect more solidly.
The movie was better at doing that, even tho it was mostly thru the eyes of his family. The film was fairly clean of blood and guts and I find thats the most horrifying of the media today. We are so protected by the site of blood, guts, dead bodies that we don't get it. Everything is so cleaned up for us, I assume so we, the public will allow our own war to be fought without rising up.
I am glad I bought the book, the reason is to allow Paul and his family to survive in comfort for the rest of their lives. That he is a voice that, by the grace of God, is heard helps a little bit in the struggle for peace. If we'd only remember.
That said, the movie is pretty true to Pauls story and is probably more accessible. This would be a good book for HS kids, along with the movie. All told it took me about 4 hours to read the entire book.
I thought it might take me a little longer to read (than say, a sci-fi or fantasy book I devour). But so far it's an easy read and I'll finish it way before Book Club.
There is a bit of history that must be explained and it's done with what I imagine a different voice than how I picture Paul. It doesn't take a way from the book, it's just a little jarring from what I imagine. It is necessary.
I am comparing it to the movie, even tho it would be better not to...but alas, I've seen the movie so I can't really separate the two.
I'll complete this when I complete the book.
6/16/06: I took a week off from reading this book. The original pub date of this post was the 11th. I changed it to today to allow it to float up to the top of the posts.
Understanding the political climate gives greater understanding to how the genocide happened and Paul's writing is easy to understand and matter of fact. What's lost in the book is the vivid descriptions of the horror. It was pretty easy for me to read that people were hacked apart by machete and that shouldn't be easy for me to read or digest. I know the book isn't focusing on the bloodshed but rather the ways simple humans can get around the monster machine but there would have been more impact had he given more human faces to some of the people in the hotel. I know they all have stories, very similar I'm sure yet it's thru the human thread that I'd be able to connect more solidly.
The movie was better at doing that, even tho it was mostly thru the eyes of his family. The film was fairly clean of blood and guts and I find thats the most horrifying of the media today. We are so protected by the site of blood, guts, dead bodies that we don't get it. Everything is so cleaned up for us, I assume so we, the public will allow our own war to be fought without rising up.
I am glad I bought the book, the reason is to allow Paul and his family to survive in comfort for the rest of their lives. That he is a voice that, by the grace of God, is heard helps a little bit in the struggle for peace. If we'd only remember.
That said, the movie is pretty true to Pauls story and is probably more accessible. This would be a good book for HS kids, along with the movie. All told it took me about 4 hours to read the entire book.
posted by vivage @ 6/16/2006 10:30:00 PM
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