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Shake Hands with the Devil

The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda

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Shake Hands with the Devil

Written by: Romeo Dallaire
Narrated by: Marcel Jeannin
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About this listen

A brave, unforgettable first-hand account of the Rwandan genocide by a man almost literally haunted by the dead and by the spectre of his mission's failure. Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of this horrific event, this edition includes a new note from Roméo Dallaire.

Serving in Rwanda in 1993, LGen. Roméo Dallaire and his small peacekeeping force found themselves abandoned by the UN in a vortex of civil war and genocide. With meagre resources to stem the killing, General Dallaire was witness to the murder of 800,000 Rwandans in a hundred days, and returned home broken, disillusioned and suicidal. Shake Hands with the Devil is his return to Rwanda: a searing book that is both an eyewitness account of the failure of humanity to stop the genocide, and the story of General Dallaire's own struggle to find a measure of peace, reconciliation and hope.

©2003 Romeo Dallaire (P)2019 Penguin Random House Canada
Africa Criminology Freedom & Security International Relations Political Science Wars & Conflicts Military War
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What the critics say

2003, Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing, Winner

2004, Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award - Author of the Year, Winner

2004, Governor General's Literary Award - Nonfiction, Winner

“On the enormously important issue of Third World development and the obligation of the Western world to assist the dispossessed, [the book] is a powerful cri de coeur for the powerless.” (Toronto Star)

“A book of astonishing power.... Here was a man who screamed into the void. No one listened, no one cared, no one heard. But he never stopped screaming. He valued every human life. He wept for every human loss. He never gave up.” (Stephen Lewis, The Walrus)

What listeners say about Shake Hands with the Devil

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very compelling account

Well put together, emotional and insightful. Very good narration also. Worth the read definitely! Relevent as much today as ever in the complex humanitarian and security sutuation.

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Heartbreaking and Necessary

Dallaire's candid recollections of Rwanda are well represented in this audiobook. I feel this book should be an essential read for those aspiring to the UN or senior military leadership.

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Extremely well written. Couldn’t put it down.

Such a incredible story told about such a horrific situation. The author makes you feel like you’re there. Man what a situation. Sad.

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Informative, with Caveats

Recommend to those with no prior knowledge of the genocide who are interested in a dramatic and frustrating first-person account of the tragedy. But there are some issues:

The detailed inscribed by Dallaire demonstrate a number of things, unfortunately none of which lead to the ultimate conclusion he makes at the very end of the book. This left me on a disappointed note.

The long introduction and overly moralistic conclusion aren’t effective in describing what’s important about the genocide. However, one must respect the effects of the horrific experience this man had, as well as the lack of experience in authorship.

Readers with prior knowledge on the genocide may also find this account interesting to cross compare with other accounts.

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The Humanity in an Inhumane Landscape

As I listened not only with my ears…I saw with my eyes the horrors of what happened in Rwanda and how the world was not interested in stopping the genocide! The bravery of African Soldiers…the courage and unwavering determination of General Romeo to help a country that nobody wanted to help! This book should be a must read for all Political Science courses, as well as Humanities, Sociology and The U.N! This book shows me that not only must we do better for our world, we can do better…but only if we choose to listen…and listen!

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A history sign post!

Well written, well read! A MUST read for any person interested in true history! THANK-YOU

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A must read for all humans

Dallaire describes his experiences with the political actors, UN administration, and events in Rwanda. The time that passed between the genocide and the writing of this book gives him a unique perspective. his co cousin, in particular, is very powerful.

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If you've lost your heart. You should find it here

5 Stars on this story, although sad it became a story, but needed to be told. Also 5 Stars on the narration by Marcel.

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Excellent presentation of the realities of command and the brutality of the world in which we live.

I can’t express the complexities of this book through a simple review. I suggest this as a must read for anyone because of the scale of human tragedy in our modern times.

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Changes your perspective

It is often difficult to bring your thought close to a distance genocide, let alone understand all the pawns, masters and underlying motivation as well as role of politics.
This read does the job.

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