Island of Blood: Frontline Reports from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Other South Asian Flashpoints
- Book Review,
by Anita Pratap
From Publishers Weekly
It takes a while to get to the heart of the engrossing stories in this account by leading Indian journalist Pratap. Once there, the reader is forced to wade through Pratap's lofty self-assessments and accounts of praise she has earned during her impressive career. Still, Pratap's captivating stories overcome these weaknesses and leave the reader with a powerful human understanding of some of South Asia's most gruesome tragedies. Blending her professional experiences, historical events and personal anecdotes, Pratap devotes much of the book to her coverage of the Sri Lankan conflict. One of the few journalists to cultivate a relationship with the legendary Tamil leader Pirabhakaran, Pratap brings to life this extraordinary man and his motivations. In the process, she aptly covers both the journalist's struggles to report in conflict-ridden areas and the social and human costs of the violence. Unlike her discussion of the Sri Lankan war, however, Pratap's account of events in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India is focused on specific incidents and offers little historical context. As a result, the unfamiliar reader's understanding may be confined to Pratap's experiences. Yet she vividly portrays the human suffering in these troubled regions, raises important political and social questions and keeps the reader engaged through entertaining anecdotes as well as personal reflections. The result is a finely balanced memoir of Pratap's extraordinary personal and professional experiences and addresses the political and human dimensions of some of South Asia's gravest conflicts and tragedies. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The author, an Indian-born journalist, got her big break in 1983 when riots broke out in Sri Lanka between the Sinhalese and Tamil populations, and Pratap was assigned to cover the story. There, she interviewed V. Pirabhakaran, leader of the Tamil faction. Her journalistic relationship with Pirabhakaran, and her portrait of this military leader, forms the backbone of this book, which combines memoir, history, and reportage. In addition to describing her life as a reporter, Pratap also tells us about the places she visited--Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, primarily--and the people she met: military leaders, ordinary men and women, police. This is an exciting and inspiring account of a woman who seeks out the hot spots and puts her own life very much at risk to bring stories of oppression, prejudice, and hatred into the public consciousness. Essential reading for anyone with an interest in the international news media. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
The Telegraph
"Anita Pratap's account is a splendid one."
India Today
"Island of Blood deals with some of the most important events of our time."
Book Description
In this distillation of frontline experiences and cultural insights, Anita Pratap, one of the finest journalists India has ever produced, faithfully reports on the consequences of war, ethnic conflict, earthquakes, cyclones, prejudices, and the mindless hatred and fear that has hurt so much of the world. Wherever there was a story to be told-from her native India to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka-Pratap braved the odds to send in reports from the front, managing to track down elusive stories and make headlines. With determined diligence she exposed the terrors inside such frightening regimes as the Taliban, returning home each time with a renewed determination to appreciate and celebrate the ordinary.
About the Author
Anita Pratap has worked for leading Indian and American newspapers and magazines including India Today and Time. She was the New Delhi Bureau Chief for CNN and has won several prestigious international awards for her work.
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