Reviews

A Benchmark Work on Rwanda, February 10, 2006

Reviewer: Thomas P. Odom "Tom"

I take great pleasure in writing this review as Bob Gribbin was my Ambassador for the last 3
months of my own tour as the US Defense Attache in Rwanda from 1994-1996. Much tripe
concerning US roles in Rwanda and the Congo War has been offered directly to the US Congress
or in the press, various blogs, and even in some published works.

This book has many strengths. First it offers more than the title implies: Ambassador Gribbin's
previous assigments in Rwanda and Uganda provide critical insights into the workings of the RPF
and Museveni's Uganda. Second it is both concise and personal. I read the book cover to cover in
2 evenings. The Rwandan Genocide is still a very personal issue to me. Bob captures its horrors
well and yet manages to offer very balanced interpretations of its causes and its effects. Finally, it
is without doubt the authoritative account of the 1996-1998 events in Rwanda and Zaire (now the
DRC). I am proud to have worked for Ambassador Gribbin and I am proud to have his book in my
library.

Sincerely,
Thomas P. Odom
Author, Journey into Darkness: Genocide in Rwanda, Texas A&M University Press, 2005


Indispensable source on post-conflict Rwanda, June 14, 2005

Reviewer: Larry Lesser (Washington, DC USA) -
The world watched in horror as Rwanda descended into hellish barbarism. And after the violence
ended, what then? That is Gribbin's subject, written from the perspective of the U.S. ambassador
-- the embodiment of U.S. policy in the post-conflict period. His book is filled with exotic names and
places, probably more than the non-expert can keep up with. (And the skimpy index is not much
help.) Nevertheless, this pioneering book provides a depth of detail and an appreciation for the
complexities of nation building under mind-bogglingly challenging conditions. It will be an
indispensable resource for the student of the Rwandan tragedy or, more broadly, as a case study
on the death -- and, we hope, rebirth -- of a modern nation-state.


A must-read for Africanists, April 22, 2005

Reviewer: Don Heflin -

An outstanding contribution to the literature on Rwanda. There have been several good books
about the 1994 genocide, but Gribbin's book stands out as the best source on the post-genocide
era. His observations on the 1996-7 war in Eastern Zaire, which drove Mobutu from power and put
the Kabilas in the presidency in Kinshasa, are especially valuable. These times remain a
controversial topic, and it's essential to get the viewpoint of an American diplomat in the field,
which Gribbin ably provides. The book is well-written and an enjoyable read, even though it deals
with serious subjects. No student of Rwanda, the Congo or genocide should be without it.