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Having that framework will be useful when reading “Sudan’s Unfinished Democracy: The Promise and Betrayal of the People’s Revolution,” by Willow Berridge, Justin Lynch, Raga Makawi, and Alex de Waal, which tells the story of the 2019 uprising that led to Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese dictator. which has been discarded for a long time. The book details the historical events that led to the revolution and the troubled and fragile regime that followed – and then paved the way for the 2021 military coup and violence erupted this week.
And for a fair-minded but critical look at the foreign response to the catastrophic war in Darfur at the beginning of this century, I recommend “The War for Darfur: Public Action and the Struggle to End the Genocide,” by Rebecca Hamilton. He skillfully reports from refugee camps and political negotiations where Sudanese citizens are struggling to end a war that poses an existential threat to many of their communities.
The book juxtaposes these efforts against foreign grass-roots campaigns where activists, with good intentions but often blind to the reality on the ground – and always safely insulated from the consequences of their actions – try to pressure the international community to stop the violence.
Reader response: A book that pleases, shocks, or enlightens you
Kristen, reading in Los Angeles, recommended “Surrender” by Bono, the frontman of U2. (Timely advice given Bono’s history of activism against the war in Darfur):
I listened to Bono read his book and not only was it enlightening about the band, the meaning of his songs, and his own dedication to various causes, I was struck by his commitment to faith and family. A true rock star and activist with traditional values and simple reflection. Inspirational and refreshing. One to return to many times.
John Toren, a reader in Minneapolis, recommends “The Snake Coiled in Naples” by Marius Kociejowski:
Kociejowski describes various aspects of the city that he seems to know quite well, including the working-class neighborhood where he lives, the history of the city, the lives of famous (and less famous) residents, street music, the changing role of the Mafia (locally known as “the System”), the presence of Vesuvius the horrors, the importance of Greek and Roman customs and institutions, food, and more. The author himself is quite a character, and he often digresses, but the narrative remains lively and free from academic pretensions.
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