Book Review: Shake Hands With the Devil

I love reading and I love finding good new books. So this is for all you readers out there with a little time to spare. I picked up this non-fiction account of the Rwandan genocide after seeing an interview with the author on The Hour. Romeo Dallaire was a part of the UN mission in Rwanda before, during, and after the slaughter of over 800, 000 people by Hutu extremists and Tutsi retaliators. He tells how the west largely ignored the calls for help to the region because of its relative unimportance in the world. Bureacracy, money, political wrangling - all play a part in this tragedy. He describes the awfulness of having to stand by while people all around were being murdered, and then of having to talk nice to those responsible while trying to broker a ceasefire. Truly a heartbreaking and enraging book. It made me more supportive of our soldiers around the world who are engaged in dangerous peacekeeping missions. I also understand a little more about why and how these atrocities begin and who the people are behind them. It's a good book! Five out of five stars.