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Interventions: A Life in War and Peace Audiobook
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(3.04) - 131 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A candid memoir of global statecraft during one of the most consequential eras of recent history INTERVENTIONS is the inside story of a world at the brink. After forty years of service in the United Nations, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan shares his unique perspective of the terrorist attacks of September 11; the American invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan; the wars among Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon; the humanitarian tragedies of Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia; and the geopolitical transformations following the Cold War. With eloquence and unprecedented candor, Annan finally reveals his unique role and unparalleled perspective on decades of global politics.
The first sub-Saharan African national to hold the position of secretary-general, Annan has led an incredible life, an amazing story in its own right. Annan’s idealism and personal politics were forged in the Ghana independence movements of his adolescence, when all of Africa seemed to be waking from centuries of imperial slumber. Schooled in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Europe, Annan ultimately joined the United Nations in Geneva as the lowest level civil servant in the still young organization. Yet Annan rose rapidly through the ranks, and by the end of the Cold War he was prominently placed in the rapidly changing department of peacekeeping.
As Annan shows the successes of the United Nations around the world, he also reveals the organization’s missed opportunities and ongoing challenges—thwarted actions in the Rwanda genocide, continuing violence between Israelis and Palestinians, the endurance of endemic poverty, and much else. Yet Annan’s great strength in this book is his ability to embed these tragedies within the context of global politics; demonstrating how, time and again, the nations of the world have retreated from the UN’s radical mandate. Ultimately, Annan shows readers a world in which solutions are always available, in which all we lack is the will and courage to see them through.
A personal biography of global statecraft, Annan’s INTERVENTIONS is as much a memoir as it is a guide to world order—past, present, and future.
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"Enjoyed the behind the scenes and incredibly insightful analysis and stories of humanitarian efforts during his distinguished career. Provided a critical voice of reflection on the rise of new humanitarianism from his role atop the UN. Highly recommend... will be on my students summer reading list!"
— Cody (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Kofi Annan has been a powerful voice for the poor and a tireless advocate for peace. As a catalyst for international security and human rights, Annan reminds us that we, as the global community, are more alike than different. His life’s work demonstrates what is possible when we focus on the universal values of equality, tolerance, and human dignity.”
— Bill Gates -
“In this thought-provoking new memoir, Kofi Annan describes the peaceful and more equitable world that is within our grasp, and offers his candid perspective on the challenges we must overcome to get there. Interventions is a powerful reminder that the United Nations still matters—and must continue to matter if we want our new century to be more free, peaceful, and prosperous than the last.”
— President Bill Clinton -
“Written as part autobiography, part history lesson, [Interventions] is infused with Mr. Annan’s accounts of private encounters with world leaders.”
— New York Times -
“A good, lucid book by a wise and compassionate man who, despite having spent much of his life in the political stratosphere, never loses sight of the plight of the little man.”
— Telegraph (London) -
“[An] interesting memoir…The accounts related by Annan…are worth every minute spent reading them. Nobody alive can quite match what he has heard and seen…With his book as his legacy, perhaps he will inspire younger individuals to make inroads against incredible cruelty around the world.”
— Christian Science Monitor -
“Frank and politically insightful…Avoiding the nebulous rhetoric of many political memoirs, Annan instead provides a peacemaker’s invaluable perspective on those crises as well as insight into the daunting challenges facing international diplomats in today’s strife-ridden world.”
— Booklist
Awards
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A 2012 Washington Post Best Book for Nonfiction
Interventions Listener Reviews
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" It's sad to see how powerful countries ignore the poor and helpless. "
— Andre, 11/30/2013 -
" An enjoyable and easy-to-read overview of Mr. Annan's time as Secretary-General of the UN. Offers a good perspective on the evolution of academic logic legitimizing intervention and peacekeeping. "
— Tim, 9/16/2013 -
" This man was born with ten times the amount of patience, open-mindedness, intellect and energy than anyone else. A great memoir about the most complex and terrible conflicts of the last two decades and Kofi Annan's unrivalled dedication to peace. "
— Lydia, 8/14/2013 -
" Good for a memoir. I had hoped for less of a history lesson, but interesting none the less. "
— Casey, 8/12/2013 -
" Insightful and well written. "
— Michael, 6/20/2013 -
" a general history of regional conflicts post-WWII, probably adequate of history knowledge is needed before reading this, because this book assumes the readers are well versed in int'l history. "
— Kar, 9/30/2012
About the Authors
Kofi Annan was the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations—serving two terms from January 1997 to December 2006—and was the first to emerge from the ranks of United Nations staff. He has served the United Nations in various capacities since 1962, including working as the under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations and the special representative of the secretary-general to the former Yugoslavia. Born in Ghana in 1938, Annan is the first sub-Saharan African to hold the post of secretary-general. In 2001 he and the United Nations were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with a citation praising Annan’s leadership for “bringing new life to the organization.”
About Dominic Hoffman
Dominic Hoffman, winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration, has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice. He is a Los Angeles–based actor of stage, screen, and television. He has appeared in such television shows as The Shield, NYPD Blue, and The Jamie Foxx Show. He attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as well as the American Conservatory Theater.