The shadow of the sun by ryszard kapuscinski 2002, paperback. In 1957, ryszard kapuscinski arrived in africa to witness the beginning of the end of colonial rule as the first african correspondent of polands state newspaper. This article is within the scope of wikiproject poland, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of poland on wikipedia. The master of literary reportage reflects on the wests encounters with the noneuropean in this distillation of reflections accumulated from a lifetime of travel, ryszard kapuscinski takes a fresh look at the western idea of the other. Ryszard kapuscinski more than anything, one is struck by the light, writes ryszard kapuscinski in the shadow of the sun, his new book on africa.
Kapuscinskis first book to appear in english, thanks to the translation of the husbandandwife team of william r. Mar 28, 2002 the journalist ryszard kapuscinski provides three broad types of reporting in the shadow of the sun. In general, these examine civil and social dysfunction in subsahara africa, the mentality of africans living in this region, and the overwhelming effects of their inhospitable climate. Polishborn journalist ryszard kapuscinski worked as an african correspondent for various polish periodicals and press agencies from 1958 to 1980. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects quality scale. Polands ace reporter ryszard kapuscinski accused of fiction. Ryszard kapuscinski, polands most celebrated foreign correspondent, was born in 1932 in pinsk in what is now belarus and spent four decades reporting on asia, latin america, and africa. From the early days of independence in ghana to the ongoing ethnic genocide in rwanda, kapuscinski has crisscrossed vast distances pursuing the swift, and often violent, events that.
Ryszard kapuscinski has been writing about the people of africa throughout his career. Born in pinsk in what is now belarus, the celebrated polish foreign correspondent ryszard kapuscinski is the author of, among other titles, shah of shahs, imperium, shadow of the sun, the other and the memoir travels with herodotus. In a study that avoids the official routes, palaces and big politics, he sets out to create an. Looking at this concept through the lens of his own encounters in africa, asia and latin america, and considering its formative significance for his own work, kapuscinski traces how the west has. For decades he roamed the globe on a laughably tight budget, living mostly in africa, asia and latin america, filing stories for the polish press. He was born in pinsknow in belarusin the kresy wschodnie or eastern borderlands of the second polish republic, into poverty. As a foreign correspondent for pap, the polish news agency, until 1981 he was an eyewitness to revolutions and civil wars in africa, asia and latin america.
A year later the same editor told him he was being sent to india and handed him a book, a present for the road, she said. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In 1983 harcourt, brace, jovanovich issued an english version of ryszard kapuscinskis the emperor, downfall of an autocrat, published originally in 1978. The obits and appreciations published this week make much of kapuscinskis bravery in reporting stories from africa, central america, the middle east, and elsewhere. This article is within the scope of wikiproject biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize wikipedias articles about people. In november, 2007, biblioasis published kapuscinskis selected poems in english, i wrote stone, bringing this aspect of kapuscinskis work to an english audience for the first time. His books include the shadow of the sun, the emperor, shah of shahs, another day of life and travels with herodotus. He received many awards and was considered a candidate for the nobel prize for literature. Ryszard kapuscinski arrived in africa in 1957, at the beginning of the end of colonial rulethe sometimes dramatic and painful, sometimes enjoyable and jubilant rebirth of a continent. For ryszard kapuscinski, who has died aged 74, journalism was a mission, not a career, and he spent much of his life, happily, in uncomfortable and obscure places, many of them in africa, trying. Jul 05, 2001 the shadow of the sun ebook written by ryszard kapuscinski. Ryszard kapuscinskis last book, the soccer war a revelation of the contemporary experience of war prompted john le carre to call the author the conjurer extraordinary of modern reportage.
He is also the author of imperium, another day of life, and the soccer more about ryszard kapuscinski. Ryszard kapuscinski polish journalist and author britannica. A celebration of the life and work of ryszard kapuscinski, visionary journalist and worldbesotted fabulist, and one of the great travelers of the 20th century true heir to his hero and subject of his last book, travels with herodotus. The wall street journal, ryszard kapuscinski author of the emperor the penetrating intelligence of mr. A life by artur domoslawski 2012, london and new york. Ryszard kapuscinski was born in eastern poland in 1932. The journalist ryszard kapuscinski provides three broad types of reporting in the shadow of the sun. Review this harrowing, at times shattering, chronicle of 40 years of adventures in africa finds kapuscinski in trouble again. Death in sudan by ryszard kapuscinski the new york. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the shadow of the sun.
The shadow of the sun by ryszard kapuscinski, paperback. The book s final essay, in the shade of a tree, in africa, is written as a kind of fable, a distillation of visits to hundreds of villages, as if what kapuscinski most wants us to remember are not the dates and names that go with all the wars and coups but the transcendent essence of africa. His earlier books, which include shah of shahs, the emperor, and the soccer war, have been translated into nineteen languages. Now, in imperium, kapuscinski gives us a work of equal emotional force and evocative power. A highly detailed, heartfelt, but unsentimental introduction to africa s afflictions and a quiet love song to its profound appeal.
In 1983 harcourt, brace, jovanovich issued an english version of ryszard kapuscinski s the emperor, downfall of an autocrat, published originally in 1978. Ryszard kapuscinski project gutenberg selfpublishing. From postcolonial africa to revolutionary iran, from the military dictatorships of latin america to soviet russia, the polish journalist and writer ryszard kapuscinski was one of the most dauntless and important eyewitness reporters of the. The shadow of the sun sums up the authors experiences the record of a fortyyear marriage in this place that became the central obsession. Only with the greatest of simplifications, for the sake of convenience, can we say africa. His books have been translated into twentyeight languages.
Jan 18, 20 the book s final essay, in the shade of a tree, in africa, is written as a kind of fable, a distillation of visits to hundreds of villages, as if what kapuscinski most wants us to remember are not the dates and names that go with all the wars and coups but the transcendent essence of africa. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation. Ryszard kapuscinski has written more celebrated books, has grappled with more complex questions of geopolitics, but this small, simple account of life on the inside of the collapse of blighted african country should be read by everyone with an interest in africa, journalism, or plain good writing. Apr 15, 2002 in 1957, ryszard kapuscinski arrived in africa to witness the beginning of the end of colonial rule as the first african correspondent of polands state newspaper. I will say though when i was reading ed husains the islamist and hes being brainwashed that france and england carved up africa where before they were united, i knew this was untrue thanks to ryszard kapuscinski s book. Sep 03, 2007 buy imperium reprint by kapuscinski, ryszard isbn. The book consists of loosely connected essays last fall i read travels with herodotus by ryszard kapuscinski, the polish journalist. In this distillation of reflections accumulated from a lifetime of travel, ryszard kapuscinski takes a fresh look at the western idea of the other. It was still night, but africa s most dazzling moment was approaching the break of day ive never been able to get my mind around africa. Imperium ryszard kapuscinski paperback books online. The shadow of the sun, a set of stories by ryszard kapuscinski, a polish journalist who travelled and lived in africa numerous times between the 50s and the 90s, has definitely taught me humbleness and almost painfully exposed my ignorance of africa.
In an unparalleled career, ryszard kapuscinski transformed the humble job of reporting into a literary art, chronicling the wars, coups and bloody revolutions that shook africa and latin america. A moving portrait of africa from polands most celebrated foreign correspondent a masterpiece from a modern master. In his book imperium granta books, 1994, he turns a journalists eye onto the russian state, and the effects of authoritarianism on everyday russian life. Few have travelled as far and wide in the subsaharan area as kapuscinski the northern african states, and south africa, are conspicuously absent in this book. In his book imperium granta books, 1994, he turns a journalists eye onto the russian state, and the. Travels with herodotus records how kapuscinski set out on his first forays to india, china and africa with the great greek historian constantly in his pocket. Angola, a slave colony later given over to mining and plantations, was a promised land for generations of poor portuguese. Ryszard kapuscinski was a polish journalist, photographer, poet and author.
Kapuscinski was the first correspondent ever sent to africa by the polish news agency. He was the communistera polish press agencys only correspondent in africa during decolonization, and also worked in south america and asia. His meager pay meant he could not sequester himself in elegant, postcolonial hotels and neighborhoods and this forced frugality became the secret to his success. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Apr 09, 2002 a moving portrait of africa from polands most celebrated foreign correspondent a masterpiece from a modern master. Kapuscinskis personal journals in book form attracted both controversy and admiration for blurring the conventions of reportage with the allegory and magical realism of literature. Famous for being in the wrong places at just the right times, ryszard kapuscinski arrived in africa in 1957, at the beginning of the end of colonial rule the sometimes dramatic and painful, sometimes enjoyable and jubilant rebirth of.
In 1957, the polish press agency appointed 25yearold ryszard kapuscinski its first fulltime correspondent in africa, a continent then on the brink of a massive independence movement. Jun 10, 2007 kapuscinskis first book to appear in english, thanks to the translation of the husbandandwife team of william r. The shadow of the sun looks back over forty years of reporting from africa. The shadow of the sun by ryszard kapuscinski books on. He sees louis armstrong in khartoum, visits daressalaam, arrives in algiers in time for a coup when nothing seems to happen but he sees the mediterranean for the first time. March 4, 1932 january 23, 2007 was a polish reporter, journalist, traveller, photographer, poet and writer whose dispatches in book form brought him a global reputation. Born in 1932 in the marshlands of eastern poland and raised in poverty, he became, in the 1950s, polands most celebrated foreign correspondent. Ryszard kapuscinski, polish journalist and author born march 4, 1932, pinsk, pol. The lies of ryszard kapuscinskior, if you prefer, the.
The shadow of the sun ebook written by ryszard kapuscinski. Jan 25, 2007 for ryszard kapuscinski, who has died aged 74, journalism was a mission, not a career, and he spent much of his life, happily, in uncomfortable and obscure places, many of them in africa, trying. Between 1956 and 1981 when his credentials were stripped because of his support for the solidarity. The shadow of the sun is a masterpiece from a modern master. Apr, 2011 ryszard kapuscinski was born in poland in 1932. Polands ace reporter ryszard kapuscinski accused of. Mar 01, 2010 in an unparalleled career, ryszard kapuscinski transformed the humble job of reporting into a literary art, chronicling the wars, coups and bloody revolutions that shook africa and latin america.
Perhaps more importantly, western travellers to the tropics, who sooner or later experience a mixture of joy and estrangement that is difficult to describe, will still find in kapuscinskis book,s and in this biography a great source of consolation. Certainly, the great subject of shadow is dysfunction. In reality, except as a geographical term, africa doesnt exist. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. Kapuscinskis vision and his knack for a kind of crystallized descriptive writing have never been on better display.
473 57 1479 375 353 524 1098 755 245 219 871 69 978 744 1335 740 605 489 367 1390 511 839 1505 641 40 724 672 1578 857 520 661 1285 1014 571 1605 336 983 1469 710 1358 591 219 797