Download PDF A Rope from the Sky The Making and Unmaking of the World Newest State Audible Audio Edition Zach Vertin Chris Andrew Ciulla LLC Dreamscape Media Books
Download As PDF : A Rope from the Sky The Making and Unmaking of the World Newest State Audible Audio Edition Zach Vertin Chris Andrew Ciulla LLC Dreamscape Media Books
The birth of South Sudan was celebrated the world round - a triumph for global justice and the end of one of the world's most devastating wars. The Republic's historic independence was acclaimed not only by its long-oppressed people but also by three US presidents and the legions of Americans who championed their cause. But the celebration would not last South Sudan's freedom-fighters soon plunged their new nation back into chaos, shattering the promise of liberation and exposing the hubris of their American backers.Â
Drawing on extraordinary personal stories of identity, liberation, and survival, this narrative tells an epic story of paradise won and then lost. Zach Vertin's firsthand accounts, from deadly war zones to the halls of Washington power, bring listeners on an extraordinary journey into the rise and fall of the world's newest state. South Sudan's untold story is a unique episode in global history - an unprecedented experiment in international state-building - and a cautionary tale.Â
A Rope from the Sky is propelled by characters both inspired and ordinary' their aspirations are matched by insecurities, their sins by courage and kindness. It is first a story of hope, power, greed, compassion, and conscience-shocking violence from the world's most neglected patch of territory. But it is also a story about the best and worst of America both our big-hearted ideals and our difficult reckoning with the limits of American power amid a world in disarray.
Download PDF A Rope from the Sky The Making and Unmaking of the World Newest State Audible Audio Edition Zach Vertin Chris Andrew Ciulla LLC Dreamscape Media Books
"A gripping, thoughtful and highly personal account of a story far too few have told. Vertin takes you inside the intrigue and betrayal of the high politics of South Sudan, and also the heartbreaking consequences for ordinary people. He also gives a clear eyed and nuanced account of the beltway politics in Washington, and role of activist groups, congressional veterans, religious ideologues, and celebrities in shaping a US foreign policy that ultimately failed to reach its objectives. And he does it all with an easy and honest style that carries you along effortlessly. It’s readable and compelling and provides endless grist for thought about the future of the nation state: highly recommended!"
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A Rope from the Sky The Making and Unmaking of the World Newest State Audible Audio Edition Zach Vertin Chris Andrew Ciulla LLC Dreamscape Media Books Reviews :
A Rope from the Sky The Making and Unmaking of the World Newest State Audible Audio Edition Zach Vertin Chris Andrew Ciulla LLC Dreamscape Media Books Reviews
- In A Rope from the Sky, Vertin provides an extraordinary account of the rise and fall of South Sudan.
This story is not a simple one to tell, in that there are a host of individuals, organizations, nation states, and dynamics that have something to say about the country both before and after its independence. Against this backdrop, Vertin's account stands out for its ability to be both comprehensible to the layperson who has no foreknowledge about the country and compelling to the foreign policy aficionado who is looking to learn more about contemporary geopolitics.
This is also not an easy story to tell, in that South Sudan's history is pockmarked by tragedy. Vertin addresses the tragic aspects of this history deftly, managing to be clear-eyed about the human toll of conflict while remaining hopeful about the country's long-term prospects.
Throughout, Vertin writes with empathy, profundity, incisiveness, and candor, combining a reporter's eye for detail with a scholar's critical thinking. As policymakers and the public writ large grapple with the future of South Sudan, it is fortunate that what is, for the time being, the decisive account of the country has been authored by a writing of Vertin's caliber.
Highly recommended. - Part historical narrative, part chronicle of recent events, and part professional memoir of his time spent in South Sudan during the birth of the new state, Mr. Vertin provides a detailed, first hand account of the chaotic and complex efforts to bring South Sudan into existence. Readers familiar with other accounts of revolution, civil war, and nation building will recognize the principal players, their self-serving actions often disguised by nationalism, and the violence in the name of patriotism associated similar episodes.
It is a story, on one hand, of how cruel and barbaric humans can behave toward one another, while on the other, the power kindness and compassion can have on forging an uplifting and unifying spirit for a new nation. The writing is clear, explicit, and free of bias. The chronology is ordered in such a way as to provide the reader with sufficient context necessary to understand the complex web of alliances created and dissolved, promises made and broken, and agreements brokered and sabotaged as South Sudan tries to wrestle itself free from Sudan.
Through a mutual friend, I had the great fortune to have dinner with the author shortly after I finished the book. As he did with the final chapter of the book recounting his friendship with Rambeng Koang, Mr. Vertin, expressed a hopeful optimism regarding the future of South Sudan and the South Sudanese people reflective of the experiences he witnessed during his time in South Sudan and the emotional energy invested in writing this book. It is an important contribution and recommended reading if one is to understand post-colonial Africa. - This is a must read book if you want to understand contemporary South Sudan. Zach Vertin has a keen eye for the nuance of the politics, social dynamics, and characters that make up the story of South Sudan’s road to independence and its eventual unraveling. His descriptions of back room scenes and detailed sketches of the characters involved makes for a page turning read that leaves you not only deeply knowledgeable about the specific events that transpired, but bestowed with transferable understanding of broader issues that have faced other countries on the continent.
- A beautifully written book detailing South Sudan's heartbreaking collapse into conflict following its independence from Sudan. Vertin skillfully weaves back and forth between powerful vignettes of the South Sudanese people most adversely affected by violence, the elites most responsible for it, and an inside perspective of the efforts to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table. The storytelling will captivate both casual and seasoned observers of Sudan/South Sudan and Vertin's account of negotiations provide unique insight into the peace process as well as lessons for mediators and negotiators operating in other conflict contexts.
- I read this engaging book over the course of a few days and, despite having followed this story in the news over the years, learned far more than I expected. Through his unique perspective, the author takes you into the depths of South Sudan's struggle for independence and success - giving voice to the individuals he met along the way. This is one of those books that gets passed around to family and friends -- highly recommended.
- A gripping, thoughtful and highly personal account of a story far too few have told. Vertin takes you inside the intrigue and betrayal of the high politics of South Sudan, and also the heartbreaking consequences for ordinary people. He also gives a clear eyed and nuanced account of the beltway politics in Washington, and role of activist groups, congressional veterans, religious ideologues, and celebrities in shaping a US foreign policy that ultimately failed to reach its objectives. And he does it all with an easy and honest style that carries you along effortlessly. It’s readable and compelling and provides endless grist for thought about the future of the nation state highly recommended!
- I picked up this book without knowing much about South Sudan, or African politics in general, and so was a bit intimidated. But the author ably brought me along, telling a fascinating story with fully-developed characters, life-and-death drama, and Machiavellian politics. Mr. Vertin clearly knows the subject very well, and his insider perspective on the events covered in the book make him a great narrator. It's ultimately a heartbreaking, tragic story, but it provides important lessons for American foreign policy -- namely, be clear-eyed about the need for stable political institutions and loyal partners when nation-building, no matter how righteouss the cause may be. Great read -- highly recommend!
