“Rwanda, that’s in Africa isn’t it”

I am reading Shake Hands With The Devil by Romeo Dallaire for one of my courses. It is nice to be given the chance to read a good book — the same can not be said for some of my other classes which feature textbooks that are dull, poorly written and as a result daunting rather than informative. It is an important book in political science and for Canadians in general — with our national myth as peacekeepers — and Dallaire being a Canadian. The writing is interesting and it benefits from the voice of experience. It is a frank and honest account, with Dallaire freely admitting his faults. Narrative provides the perfect expression for the horror he experienced and the indifference of the Western world. It is also interesting to hear the perspective of a soldier. This is a book that if given the choice I might stay up all night reading — currently this is not really optional. One of the best features of Dallaire’s writing is the aptness with which he describes people, from his mother to figures in Rwandan politics he can capture the essence and demeanor of an individual in a sentence or two.This is an important and informative book. At times it is heartbreaking and tragic, but that is not a reason to avoid a good book.