The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur
by Daoud Hari

By reading this powerful story by Daoud Hari, you realize that in Darfur horrible things are taking place and the world is choosing to ignore the events.

What is happening in Sudan can not be real; it can only be a fictional story. How do human beings treat others like this and continue to live with themselves? Sadly, we learn that this is a way of life for many people and that genocide is going on in Sudan as we speak.

Daoud does not take sides but tries to function in a world that is turned upside down. You are draw into a surreal environment of killing and total disregard for the value of human life.

I recommend this book to read as a reminder that we must always be on guard against the selfish, the evil and the greedy. ( )

Hari grew up as a Zaghawa tribesman in a traditional village in the Darfur region of Sudan. In 2003, Hari's village was attacked and destroyed, his family decimated and dispersed. Using courage, clever strategies and an uncanny ability to make new friends in tight situation, Hari brought the horror story of Darfur to the world. Unabridged.

I just love reading books about other cultures that are so far away from my own. It gives me an insight into the world that I wouldn't have a chance to see first hand. This book was no exception. Shocking at times, this book speaks on the situation in Darfur. Very touching.

We need to learn more about the struggles in Darfur; more than what the news media tells us.

"The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur", by Daoud Hari makes this story more accessible by showing us the characters and personalities that have experienced the atrocities first hand. This was not a comfortable read. I had to put the book down several times.

Yet, I recommend this book as everyone in the Free World needs to know what's going on in Darfur.

This was an early reviewer's copy of the book. Although I didn't review it initially here, I read it as soon as I received it. It was one of those books that once you start reading, you don't want to put down. Provides compelling insight into the situation in Dafur.

I enjoyed this book which is presented in a very simple, almost conversational style. It's like the author is sitting down with you and telling his story. It's a painful and frequently horrifying story but one that is important. I feel like I understand the situation in Darfur much better now. ( )

Compelling and unique in its voice, Hari captures the atrocities happening in the Darfur region of the Sudan. For those who are not well versed in the politics of the region, you don't need to worry. Hari does a wonderful job of breaking it down so it's understandable. This book does more than that, however. It puts names and faces to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the genocide happening in this part of the world.

Words cannot do this book justice. You must read it. ( )

I chose to read "The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur" as I've felt quite ignorant about the present day situation in the Darfur region. However, I walked away not only feeling more educated, but personally knowing some of the everyday people. Hari shared openly about his experiences as a translator, his family and so much more. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to transport themselves to a new place and/or learn more about the world. Insightful read! ( )

A very powerful memoir of a translator in Darfur. The imagery was exquisite and his voice was so strong, I almost felt like I was there. Books like this don't come around often, especially from a point of view and story so unique and personal. I would recommend this book to any memoir lover. ( )

I walked into this without knowing a lot about the conflict in Darfur, and I left with a much better sense and a great deal of compassion. I found myself appropriately shocked, and remember Hari's remarkable story each time I see a Darfur-related headline. In many ways, reading this book felt like a parallel experience to my having seen _Hotel Rwanda_. I was both moved and informed.

In the last 5 years or so our book world has welcomed many books on Darfur. What sets this one apart is its slightly more balanced view of life in Darfur. The author, Daoud, writes about his real life experiences, the pain, but also the joy. He reminds us that no matter how dark and horrible life can be, there is still humor and love and those are the very things that make life worth fighting for. It's heartbreaking and tragic, but its unfaltering look at the horror that other people in the world are experiencing is powerful. ( )

http://www.lexrigby.com/2009/05/13/fr... ( )

The atrocity of a genocide is well beyond what I could have imagined. Daoud Hari's perspective educated me as he described his inside view of the brutality taking place. The inhumane acts continue to be performed on a daily basis. It's cruel and heart-breaking, and most of all . . . unnecessary. Read The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur, I guarantee that you will learn something. (4/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )

I often struggle to understand the world around me. I cannot be everywhere and understand everything. What must it be like to live under Islamic law as a woman in Saudi? What is really going on with Tibet and China? Why does the gov't in Cambodia evict people with no recompense? I really have no clue. But I want to know.

"The Translator" gives a good idea of Darfur. It is written by Daoud Hari and is subtitled, "A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur". It is the story of one man whose village was burned and killed and what he did after that. Because he was schooled in English and Arabic, he was able to be of use to journalists and researchers as a translator.

The picture which began for me as a blurry and confusing situation was focused with this book. I certainly don't understand all the situation, but I have a clue now. The book was a very easy read, exciting and engrossing.
The introduction by the author begins,

"'If God must break your leg He will at least teach you to limp' - so it is said in Africa. This book is my poor limping, a modest account that cannot tell every story that deserves telling. I have seen and heard many things in Darfur that have broken my heart. I bring the stories to you because I know most people want other to have goo lives and, when they understand the situaiton, they will do what they can to steer the world back toward kindness. This is when human beings, I believe, are most admirable."
His purpose in writing is clear.
I like the way Daoud (David in English) brings us into an understanding of his world. He says of an airplane trip home to Darfur after a stay in jail in Egypt, "Altitude itself is a powerful thing. When travelers are in space, looking at our small planet from a distance where borders and flags cannot be seen or imagined..... ...... bends one toward a peaceful view. That is what I wanted, really, just peace. I was sad and anxious for my poeple but not angry. I didn't want to kill any human person. I didn't even hate the man who was organizing all these crimes, the president of Sudan, though I wished deeply to take him for a long walk through the villages of my childhood and perhaps change his way of thinking about how best to serve the people, which is surely his job."
Well, Daoud took me for walks through his village and other villages as well. It was sobering. I am glad I went, just as he hoped the reader would be.
Of the great Sahara desert crossing, he speaks of how to know directions, "All trails are erased with each wind. You can note the stars at night, if it is clear, or see where the sun rises or sets, also if it is clear, but it is not always clear and the tilted horizon provided by the great dunes disorients you even under a cloudless sky. ....
....You are modern and think your compass and your GPS will keep you from trouble. But the batteries will give out in your GPS, or the sand will ruin it. Your compass may break or become lost as you try to put away your bedding one morning in a hard sandstorm. So yo will want to know the ways that have worked for thousand of years...
...Be careful: some people die because they look to a distant mountain as their guide, but the wind moves these mountains around; you might travel in circles until your eyes close and your heart withers.
It says everything about this land to know that even the mountains are not to be trusted, and that the crunching sound under your camel's hooves are usually human bones, hidden and revealed as the wind pleases."
I love the way he speaks to the Western reader:
"Everyone knows the family of everyone else among the Zaghawa [his people group]. If you live in a small town, you know a great deal about the families who live there. If your town had no television or other things to take you away from visiting all the time, your town could be very large and you would still know something about everyone. So it is like that."
Often we read those words, "It is like that". Daoud paints good word pictures.
This is one good yarn. ( )

NCLA Review - "I am a translator who has taken journalists into dangerous Darfur . It is my intention now to take you there in this book, if you have the courage to come with me." Daoud Hari, a Zaghawa tribesman, born and raised in a village in Darfur in the Sudan recounts memories of his boyhood, family, friends and the attacks and acts of genocide happening today to his people. This book is an action-packed adventure complete with accounts of prison and torture, all wrapped in the trappings of genocide in Darfur. All the world's people need to know the story of rape, murder and the burning of villages, and how ancient hatreds and greed for resources collide in this tribal culture. This is a book that would fit well into any church library, and a must read to understand what is happening to innocent people. There are two Appendices: Appendix 1 provides a short history of the situation in Darfur ; Appendix 2 details the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adapted by the United Nations. Rating: 4 —BS204p, Random 2008, $23.00 [962.404] ( )

I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers. I think this book is a must read for anyone who wants to be more educated about the atrocities that are happening in Sudan. Dauod Hari becomes a translator after leaving his village to escape the violence that has been encouraged by the government. After reading it, I soon realized that the violence is much more widespread than we can imagine here in the U.S. The stories that he tells are amazing in detail, and he describes them in such a nonchalant way, that only someone whose level of tolerance for tragedy has been heightened by so many episodes of violence, so many relatives and friends killed. His ability to move from village to village helped reporters and international human rights representatives see the situation in Darfur firsthand. The whole situation in Darfur is beyond tragic and while finding a solution to end the violence will not be simple, it must be a focus of people of all nationalities to care for their common humanity. Something must be done to help the people of Sudan that are victims of genocide. We owe it to them to at least become educated about their plight and to tell our legislators that allowing this to continue is not acceptable. ( )

Oh wow! I'm not sure how to write a review of this book because this isn't the type of book that you say "Oh, that was so good!" How do you label a book about such a difficult subject as a good read? The best word that I came up with to describe this book would be powerful. Daoud Hari's memoir is a powerful book describing the horrors that he has witnessed going on in Darfur. Unfortunately it is still going on right now which is really hard for me to swallow. Daoud tells of his story and how he becomes a translator for reporters as he tries to get Darfur's genocide story more out in the open for all of the world to see. The book was very readable as I believe Dennis Burke and Megan McKenna helped to write it after Daoud told them his stories. Through this book Daoud was able to convey his love for Darfur alongside telling of the horrors that he saw firsthand. I don't usually share quotes but here is a really powerful one that I found right on the 1st page of the introduction:

"I have seen and heard many things in Darfur that have broken my heart. I bring the stories to you because I know most people want others to have good lives, and, when they understand the situation, they will do what they can to steer the world back toward kindness. This is when human beings, I believe, are most admirable."

It makes you want to do something to help out, doesn't it? Maw from Maw's Books is doing something and is the reason why I read this book. The entire month of September she has devoted to reading and blogging for Darfur. So go to her blog and check it out if you haven't yet. This book moved me enough that I will be continuing to read books on this subject and I already have another book checked out from the library to read next. It will never be an easy subject to read about but it is definitely worthwhile! I'll leave you with another quote that was able to convey the absolute horror of what is going on in Darfur. Just a little background first though: this quote comes after Daoud and some reporters were getting back from witnessing the aftereffects of one of the many battles that go on there everyday.

"Some of the BBC people had to return to Chad, where they were in a medical clinic for three days to recover from what they saw, and smelled, and learned about the nature of what simply must be called evil." ( )

A rare chance to get a personal account of the events in Dafur from a local, not just the journalists. Daoud risked his life to fight the injustice in his country, not with a gun, but with English. He accompanied various foreigners, including some trying to acertain whether there was genocide in the region. The book also covers when Daoud, a foreigner and their driver were taken prisoner.

A very true, matter of fact account about the war-torn region, but told by a man with a big heart. ( )

Heartbreaking. I'd had a vague idea about the genocide in Darfur, but this brought it vividly to life. How in the world can people act like that? ( )

A compeling story of the political genocide occuring in Darfur through the eyes of Daoud Hari, a Zaghawa tribesman, who served as translator for foreign officials and journalists to try to communicate the situation to the outside world. Told without hyperbole in a simple direct style that makes the facts all the more stark. A must read for those who want to lift their heads and be more aware of the global community. ( )

It took me a long time after reading the Early Reviewers copy to come up with a review for this horrifyingly sad novel. It was no fault of the author, it was my own. I have a personal problem dealing with the cruelty that other human beings wreak on other human beings. For example, my senior high school term paper was on Hitler's euthanasia program and I spent three months poring over books only to end up having to go to the doctor for stress-induced ulcers on the last week before the paper was due. I can't handle it.

I read this book with tears in my eyes. The fact that this unjustifiable cruelty is going on still is so unfathomable for me. It makes me so angry. It makes me want to go to every leader of the free world and scream, "What the hell is wrong with you? Why aren't you working to stop this?" If everyone would only turn their heads to Darfur and pay attention, it could be stopped. ( )

This is not a book one would first think as "enjoyable" nonetheless enjoy it I did. Mr Hari's account of acting as a translator for numerous western reporters seeking to tell the story of Darfur is jam packed with humanity, irony, humor, and stark realistic depictions of the violence and ugliness of civil war. He does not grapple with the question of whether this war is the result of genocide or the inevitable result of colonialism; he simply tells the story of the disaster he experienced traveling with western reporters through Sudan and Chad. He shares much of what is beautiful and worth celebrating in his culture, village and family. Unfortunately, he also describes its destruction and the resulting over crowded refugee camps. Finally, at the end of his short poignant book he provides more resources for those who want to pursue deeper understanding.

I do not usually grab quotations out of the books I read but the following was irresistable: "You have to find a way to laugh a little bit each day despite everything, or your heart will simply run out of the joy that makes it go." I believe this is an essential book for those who want to have basic understanding of the conditions in Darfur and the reasons for Western intervention. ( )

A moving personal account of the crisis in Darfur by Sudanese translator Daoud Hari. It is enlightening and horrifying, and the great personal charm of Hari drives you onward through the difficult events he describes by establishing a profound sense of sympathy and identification. I was sometimes jarred, as a reader, by inconsistencies of tone: the direct appeals of oral narratives mixed oddly with the contextualizing tone of a written story, and Hari's voice sometimes got lost. Is this a common pitfall of co- or ghostwritten personal accounts? Perhaps. Nonetheless, I found this to be an eye-opening, intriguing, moving book. ( )

RATING: 4 out of 5

This was an extremely difficult book for me to finish. I would pick it up and read and I would become so agitated that I would have to put it down. It was so hard to understand why someone that had endured so much strife in trying to escape from the Sudanese Army that took away the only life he had ever knew would then risk his life to return to a country that was still so hostile. I have read several memoirs written by those who have left their homeland for various reasons, and have been unable to return but have worked untiringly to bring peace to their homeland from afar, many of them with hopes of someday returning. But for Daoud, he was going back into a country that had not changed, and where his brethren were dying daily, yet he still felt some obligation to get the story out by going back in. Daoud did not wait for peace, but jumped right back in with foreign journalists in hopes that the international community would hear their cries before all of his people were dead.

It is a bravery that is uncommon, and his story should be required reading for all high school students in this country. They should take this injustice on as a community project. A project to make this a better world, where we all respond immediately to the needs of a community no matter how far away. ( )

Daoud (David) Hari’s memoir is an enthralling and heartbreaking story, in which one despairs of the harm that humans do to each other and yet is also inspired by the resilience and compassion of the human spirit even in the most harrowing circumstances.

In his memoir, Hari works for BBC journalists as a translator, and as such is at the forefront of war and helps interview over a thousand individuals in several weeks. Hari describes brutal massacres and the dire situation of survivors in the countryside and refugee camps. However, he also brings to the reader fascinating facts about day to day life in Darfur villages, such as tribal customs, anecdotes about family and friends, childhood games, weddings, the idiosyncratic ways of camels, and more.

All of this is torn asunder in the war, and some of the scenes described are of almost unspeakable suffering. Nevertheless, those of us living much more privileged lives in safer parts of the world should be faced with such suffering in order to be jolted from our comfort zones.
Perhaps as more voices from Darfur and other brutalized regions emerge, our governments are increasingly forced to act. Daoud Hari is a courageous man of incredible goodness and decency, and he has brought the plight of his country and the voices of the suffering to the rest of the world.

Reading his book is definitely a life-changing experience and should be required reading for many university courses dealing with modern world history and international relations.