An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-first Century
“Thoughtful and passionate.”—The Globe and Mail“With vivid personal anecdote, Orbinski chronicles the struggle around humanitarian intervention in one hotspot after another across the planet. In a narrative of grace and power, he displays the intense components of his remarkable life: integrity, compassion and principle. He is undaunted in the face of the worst the world has to offer. He is determined to salve the wounds of humankind. He is a truly committed man, mind and soul throbbing with incandescent decency.”— Stephen Lewis, Former UN Special Envoy“An Imperfect Offeringis more than a memoir of life on the frontlines of disaster — it is a provocative and revealing meditation on what it means to be human. What do we do, and what should we do, in the face of unspeakable suffering.”—Ottawa Citizen“James Orbinski has lived for years in the middle of the worst that humans can be, and somehow emerged with both his compassion and his desire to understand us intact. He is a marvellous storyteller, and the stories he has to tell are some of the most powerful I have ever read.”— Stephanie Nolen, author of28: Stories of AIDS in Africa“In this complex era of massive abuses to human rights by governments in too many countries, it is suprising to read such a poignant book that describes, without fanfare, the constant ethical, moral, and even legal dilemmas that those in the field must confront hundreds of times a day. Clarity, compassion and commitment are presented in spades in this book about those who are fighting the lack of political will that too often fails to prevent man's inhumanity to man.”— L.Gen. Roméo Dallaire, author ofShake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda“The rich beauty of Dr. James Orbinski’s writing contrasts with the stark poverty and suffering of the people he has served…. This book exposes truths most of us would rather not know. Do not put it down…. See who you become after reading it.”—Canadian Medical Association Journal“A powerful personal memoir from a courageous Canadian who has spent most of his adult life in front-line humanitarian work in the world’s worst conflict zones…. It’s also a hopeful story about the emergence of MSF as a new and independent agent of civil society, and the possibilities of making the world a better place.”—Edmonton Journal“A highly personal and wrenching memoir.”—The Walrus“Almost unbearably intense…. Orbinski’s writing is strongest and most compelling when he is recounting his actual experiences as a doctor.”—Winnipeg Free Press“Orbinski pulls no punches…. With his vivid descriptions, Orbinski brings the stench of death and illness to his pages with unflinching realism, giving us detailed narratives of such shameful events as the ruthless genocide of over one million Tutsis in Rwanda, and the United Nations’ complicity in turning a blind eye to the horror.”—Toronto Star"An essential text for our dire times. Orbinski plunges into the heartbreak, the maelstrom, the moral dilemmas of the genocide territories of the world — Rwanda, Kosovo, Sudan — and finds there enough courage and redemption for us all to feel that there is hope for our sad humanity."— Ariel Dorfman