I recently realized that I had only read half of this particular book, so I've decided to finish it this weekend. As I was reading, I couldn't help but feel that it was some sort of experiment. However, some people have labeled me a "conspiracy theorist" for my thoughts. But to me, it seems very clear that this was planned at a high level, and it's truly quite scary.

Here's an excerpt from the book that really stood out to me: "Even if not taking sides were a desirable position, it is impossible to act in or on a political situation without having a political effect. This is especially true when speaking about humanitarian aid organizations assisting the'refugees' [Hutu powers in exile aka genocidars] in the D.R.C. The humanitarian mindset often seems to be one of not thinking, but simply doing. Humanitarians don't like to be called mercenaries, yet the mindset of not thinking and just doing IS a mercenary mindset. When humanitarian aid becomes a smoke screen to cover the political effects it actually creates and states hide behind it, using it as a vehicle for policy making, then we can be regarded as agents in the conflict."

This excerpt really makes me question the true motives and consequences of humanitarian efforts in certain situations. It makes me wonder if we are really being used as pawns in a much larger political game. I'm eager to finish reading the rest of the book to see if my suspicions are confirmed.

I could only manage to get through 40% of this book and saw no purpose in laboriously going through the remaining part.

Across the web, it is ranked as one of the top books to read regarding the Rwandan genocide and I can fathom the reason. There are direct accounts from the field and personal tales from survivors - which are both disturbing and touching, yet also portray the brutal reality of what transpired.

My principal interest was to comprehend why it occurred, what led to it and how it was contained. The "why" aspect is more or less established within the initial 25% of the book. Beyond that, it becomes overly descriptive and somewhat loses its structure. There is an excessive amount of information from all the interviews and research the author has conducted - and suddenly there are far too many names, places and incidents to keep track of. There appears to be no chronology and this is precisely where I lost my way and interest and decided to set it aside. I believe the value of this book lies in its level of detail if utilized for research purposes, rather than for an average reader.

Later, I conducted a Google search and discovered a paper on the Rwandan genocide that elucidates the "preconditions leading to genocide in terms of social conditions, group identity, and cultural dispositions. It also delves into the psychology of perpetrators and the role of bystanders in facilitating or discouraging mass killing". I think this will be a more worthwhile read and I eagerly anticipate it.

This is an immensely powerful and extremely important work of journalistic non-fiction.

It contains numerous valuable lessons that are applicable to everyone across the globe. However, I am not certain if all those lessons will be exactly the same for each individual.

Human beings often engage in certain actions towards one another, and yet we simply sit by and watch.

This work serves as a reminder of the complex and often disturbing nature of human behavior.

It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that we may not always be as involved or as active in making a positive change as we should be.

Perhaps through reading and reflecting on this work, we can begin to take steps towards a more empathetic and proactive approach in our interactions with others.

Only then can we hope to learn from the lessons it offers and create a better world for ourselves and future generations.

This text was rather challenging to read. The words seemed to dance around, making it hard to follow at times.

However, I'm truly glad that I persevered and finished it. It was like climbing a steep mountain, but reaching the summit gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Although the process was not easy, it was also an opportunity for growth. I had to push myself to understand the meaning and make sense of the jumbled words.

In the end, I learned that with determination and effort, even the most difficult tasks can be overcome. And that's a lesson I'll carry with me for a long time.

So, while this was a tough read, it was definitely worth it in the end.

Like many others, I was deeply intrigued to gain a more in-depth understanding of the genocide that took place in Rwanda. I had high hopes that this highly rated book would serve as an excellent source of information. However, to my disappointment, it fell short in several aspects.

In my view, it failed to comprehensively explain the origin of the deep-seated hatred that the Hutu tribe harbored towards the Tutsi tribe. The account was extremely dry and dull, lacking the necessary vividness and emotional depth to truly engage the reader.

Moreover, there was little connection with the characters. It felt more like a textbook, presenting facts and figures in a rather mechanical way, rather than a story that could touch the hearts and minds of the readers.

In contrast, I found The Girl Who Smiled Beads to be a much better read. It offered a more personal and engaging perspective on the Rwandan genocide, bringing the experiences of the characters to life and allowing the reader to empathize with their pain and suffering.

Overall, while the highly rated book on the Rwandan genocide may have had some merits, it failed to meet my expectations in terms of providing a comprehensive and engaging account of this tragic event.

I read this book while I was volunteering in Burundi. It is a country that has endured a civil conflict parallel to that of Rwanda, yet it has received far less international attention.

The book is filled with chilling accounts. It reveals not only the horror of the actions by the Rwanda orchestrators of the genocide and the willing and complicit participants in carrying out the genocide but also the willful inaction and facilitation of the conflict by international actors, including the U.S. government.

What struck me the most was the large number of stories where important local religious leaders were involved. Many trusted pastors deliberately gathered their parishioners together, making it easier for the Interahamwe militias to slaughter them more efficiently. The title of the book is derived from one of these stories, in which the parishioners write to their pastor and local officials, seeking their intervention, only to be informed that it is God's will for their kind to be eradicated.

This is an extremely difficult book to complete, but it is well worth it. It provides a great deal of food for thought regarding the current inaction concerning the events in Darfur, Sudan. The international community always seems capable of proclaiming "never again" in the aftermath of ethnic cleansing incidents, but actually fulfilling that promise appears to be distressingly rare.

The dead of Rwanda accumulated at an alarmingly high rate, nearly three times that of the Jewish dead during the Holocaust.

This is an extremely tragic and disturbing fact. It was truly the most efficient mass killing since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The magnitude of this atrocity is shocking, leaving one's heart broken and filled with profound thoughts.

It forces us to confront the darkest aspects of human nature and the consequences of hatred and violence.

We must remember this history to ensure that such horrors never happen again.

It is our responsibility to work towards peace, understanding, and justice in the world.

Only by learning from the past can we hope to build a better future for all.

My daughter recommended this book to me, and when I shared with a friend that I had read it, he commended my bravery. Indeed, it takes courage to face the harrowing stories within. But this pales in comparison to the courage of those who lived through the genocide as Tutsis and then returned home to live among those who killed their families.

What occurred in Rwanda was far from ordinary murder. The estimated 800,000 people killed in about 3 months, with many hacked to death by machetes in the most brutal ways - pastors killing parishioners, teachers killing students, colleagues killing co-workers, and even family members killing each other - is truly extraordinary in the most horrific sense. The rapes of women and young girls, and the killing of babies ripped from wombs, added to the horror. Nowhere was safe, and no one could be trusted.

Mr. Gourevitch traces the roots of the Hutu and Tutsi conflict back to Belgian and French colonial times. The false categorization by European eugenicists laid the foundation for the divide. The inaction of the imperialist world, especially the United States and France, during the genocide is deeply condemnable. The Clinton administration's refusal to use the term "genocide" and its efforts to prevent concerted action in the UN are examples of moral bankruptcy.

The Hutus who fled into refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo were met with a strange response from the world. Instead of justice, they received aid, as if hoping everyone would behave nicely in the future. Mr. Gourevitch also tells the stories of survivors and the aftermath of the genocide, including the regional upheaval and the efforts to restabilize the country.

If you want to understand this dark chapter in history, I highly recommend this book. It is not a pleasant read, but it is a necessary one. As Mr. Gourevitch himself said, ignoring these stories makes us more uncomfortable about our existence and our place in it. In addition to this book, I also recommend "King Leopold’s Ghost" by Adam Hochschild and "The Girl Who Smiled Beads" by Clementine Waraiya.

A heart-breaking and harrowing account of the genocide in Rwanda reveals the build-up to the killings and the few years of aftermath.

While visiting Rwanda, I read this and was amazed at how the country has managed to turn its fate around since that tragic time.

It is truly a beautiful country, filled with kind and welcoming people. They are not only open to sharing their experiences of those dark years in Rwandan history but also proud of where they are now and the future that lies ahead.

The genocide was a horrific event that left a deep scar on the nation. However, the Rwandan people have shown remarkable resilience and determination in rebuilding their lives and their country.

Their ability to forgive and move forward is an inspiration to us all. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of hope.

Rwanda's journey from the brink of destruction to a place of hope and progress is a story that needs to be told and remembered. It serves as a reminder of the importance of peace, unity, and reconciliation in building a better world.

This book offers a detailed account of the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994.

During that tragic period, within just 3 months, 800,000 Tutsis were brutally slaughtered by Hutus. The methods were unimaginably horrific, with most being killed using machetes. Meanwhile, the rest of the world seemed to turn a blind eye.

Philip Gourevitch delves into how this genocide came about and what the consequences were in the following four years.

Alongside presenting the facts, this book poses numerous thought-provoking questions. How could a person mercilessly hack to death a member of their own family? How does one manage to "survive" such a traumatic event? Why didn't any external power, like a European nation or the United States, intervene to stop the killers? And how could the Tutsis and Hutus live together again after the refugees returned?

Gourevitch conducted interviews with a wide range of people, including survivors, killers, government officials, businesspeople, and professional soldiers. His writing is remarkable for its clarity and attention to detail regarding the timeline of events. His access to these individuals was truly incredible, indicating his near fearless pursuit of the truth.

This book is an essential chronicle of a horrendous event. Just like the Holocaust, it is an event that must never be forgotten.

~Stephanie

How do you rate a book that delves into something so truly horrible?

When I was younger, I recall reading books about the Holocaust and naively thinking it could never occur again. Oh, how wrong I was. Not only has such horror happened again, but it persists, and the world scarcely takes notice.

I have read books about the Rwandan genocide from the victims' perspective, which offer the gut-wrenching emotional side. This particular book, however, helps one understand the political aspect.

My only complaint is that I didn't really like the author's style. I felt he jumped around a bit too much, making it sometimes difficult to follow, yet it remained riveting.

I remember the news conference when Clinton's Press Sec. DeeDee Meyers was so reluctant to call the Rwandan turmoil genocide. I never understood why our government was so unwilling to label it as such. Through this book, I came to realize that doing so required not just moral but also legal action.

After the Holocaust, our country signed agreements vowing not to let it happen again and to provide aid if it did. We failed to act and must bear some of the blame. Our government pretended not to know what was going on, but the truth always surfaces. The Hutus were broadcasting it over the radio for all to hear, and the victims were crying out for help – we failed to respond and perhaps even encouraged worse to occur.

My eyes have been opened, and I hope to be a catalyst for action, and that the world will take notice that this conflict continues and atrocities are still being committed in the Congo.

It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say. It can happen, and it can happen everywhere. ~ Primo Levi

How does one rate a book about genocide? Is it based on the merits of the reporting? On its "balanced" or "just" interpretation of history? On its tone or political slant? On the first-hand accounts presented? Or on one's personal horror at both reading about what happened and at probing the limits of one's own ignorance?

The 5 stars I give are first and foremost a Thank You to Gourevitch for writing such a well-documented, historically detailed, and passionate account of the Rwandan genocide. After reading "We Wish to Inform You", I am more than ashamed that I knew very little of the tragedies Rwandans suffered during the 1990s and beyond. This book provides an excellent history and contextualizes events, allowing even those poorly educated in African colonization like myself to gain some understanding.

I also appreciated hearing the voices of the Rwandans Gourevitch interviewed. Both Tutsis and Hutus are represented, though the Tutsis' voices shape the narrative. These voices don't quite form an oral history but offer a similar effect: a nuanced and humanized perspective more insightful into the human condition than traditional histories.

I'm not sure how to rate other aspects of the work, but I think any flaws are minor compared to the overall appraisal. Everyone should read this book because as humans, we shouldn't be ignorant of such potentialities in our own natures. Usually, I'm more critical when reading history, but in this case, there's a lack of written material and limited public awareness.

The "flaws" I mentioned may not even be flaws. For example, Gourevitch editorializes at times and doesn't always maintain a detached journalistic voice. But how can I blame him? He's not a historian, and as a child of Holocaust survivors, his passionate empathy with the Tutsi's case is understandable.

Content-wise, I can't do the work justice with a brief summary. But I'll say this: one aspect that didn't surprise me but still angered me was the "West's" complicity in turning a blind eye to the Tutsi's plight and fomenting conflict in the region during colonization and subsequent support for dictatorial puppets. Highly Recommended.