Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Gaza Strip . . . Places that evoke scenes of unimaginable suffering and hardship, the human condition at its worst. But they are also places that highlight humanity at its best—the capacity for generosity, self-sacrifice, and compassion. Among those who live at the intersection of these realities are thousands of international humanitarian workers—dedicated men and women from many countries who leave behind their own comfort and security to face dangers, sorrows, and brutality that most of us cannot imagine. Carol Bergman sough them out and encouraged them to tell their stories-not to add to the chronicles of horror, but as a witness and a challenge. Some of them are heroes; others, ordinary men and women who could not sit idly by while others were suffering.
“What is it that makes this anthology of personal experiences in the field so particularly moving? Is it the courage and dedication of the contributors? To a point. Is it their self-humbling in the face of monstrous disaster? That too. But for my money, it's their self-control. It's their suppression of useless pity in favor of doing something practical. It's their determination, in the foulest conditions that man and nature can dream up between them, to make human decency work rather than weep; to do what ever they can, again and again, knowing it can never be enough.”
—from the Foreword by John le Carré
“'Another Day in Paradise' provides a compelling account of how international humanitarian workers, for little pay and at great risk, strive to cushion the consequences of a cruel world and an indifferent nature, and in the process not only save lives but redeem humanity itself. For those who seek meaning in their own lives, here is a prescription for how to achieve it.”
-Stephen Solarz, Vice-Chairman of the Interantional Crisis Group, former Member of Congress
“Armed only with their values and wits, humanitarian workers define courage in the twenty-first century. This book gives voice to their stories, to their ability to survive in the face of death, to their humanity to one another and to those they seek to serve. In a time when we are perhaps overly taken with images of warriors and conflict, it is important to hear the voices of those who take the ultimate risk that makes us all more civilized and more caring.”
-Raymond C. Offenheiser, President, Oxfam America
A child of refugees from genocide, Carol Bergman is a writer, writing coach, and editor whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Salon.com, and many other publications. She has written several books including a memoir, "Searching for Fritzi", and a book of novellas, "Sitting for Klimt." She teaches writing at New York University.
“What is it that makes this anthology of personal experiences in the field so particularly moving? Is it the courage and dedication of the contributors? To a point. Is it their self-humbling in the face of monstrous disaster? That too. But for my money, it's their self-control. It's their suppression of useless pity in favor of doing something practical. It's their determination, in the foulest conditions that man and nature can dream up between them, to make human decency work rather than weep; to do what ever they can, again and again, knowing it can never be enough.”
—from the Foreword by John le Carré
“'Another Day in Paradise' provides a compelling account of how international humanitarian workers, for little pay and at great risk, strive to cushion the consequences of a cruel world and an indifferent nature, and in the process not only save lives but redeem humanity itself. For those who seek meaning in their own lives, here is a prescription for how to achieve it.”
-Stephen Solarz, Vice-Chairman of the Interantional Crisis Group, former Member of Congress
“Armed only with their values and wits, humanitarian workers define courage in the twenty-first century. This book gives voice to their stories, to their ability to survive in the face of death, to their humanity to one another and to those they seek to serve. In a time when we are perhaps overly taken with images of warriors and conflict, it is important to hear the voices of those who take the ultimate risk that makes us all more civilized and more caring.”
-Raymond C. Offenheiser, President, Oxfam America
A child of refugees from genocide, Carol Bergman is a writer, writing coach, and editor whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Salon.com, and many other publications. She has written several books including a memoir, "Searching for Fritzi", and a book of novellas, "Sitting for Klimt." She teaches writing at New York University.
