Marked for Death: Dying for the Story in the World's Most Dangerous Places

by Terry Gould

Overview

Worldwide, nearly three-quarters of journalists who die on assignment are targeted and assassinated for their dogged pursuit of important stories of injustice. In Marked for Death, Terry Gould brings this statistic to life by documenting the lives of seven journalists, in Colombia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Russia, and Iraq who had the guts to keep telling the truth in the face of threats from terrorists, corrupt politicians, gangsters, and paramilitary leaders.

Gould brings us the lovers, colleagues, rivals, critics, and even the accused murderers of these courageous men and women, searching for the moment in which these journalists understood that they were willing to die in order to get a story out.

Their compelling stories highlight how selflessly humans can love justice and their fellow citizens; how dogged and resourceful people can be in attempts to thwart injustice; how vital it is to show the defeated and the indifferent, as well as the powerful; and that there really are some things worth dying for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582436142
Publisher:	Counterpoint Press
Publication date:	08/17/2010
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Psychology of Sacrifice 1

1 Small Town, Big Hell Guillermo Bravo Vega 7

2 I Grew Up on Bullets Marlene Garcia-Esperat 59

3 Jewel Moon and the Human Universe Manik Chandra Saha 103

4 Anna Had No Roof Anna Politkovskaya 151

5 The Boys from Car City Valery Ivanov Alexei Sidorov 217

6 Solid Khalid Khalid W. Hassan 273

Conclusion: Journalism as an Act of Courage 319

Source Notes 325

Acknowledgments 379

Photo Credits 389

Editorial Reviews

"Marked for Death by Terry Gould is a book of love and passion. The portraits of slain journalists who reported from the world’s most dangerous places are unquestionably tragic, but this book is uplifting and even inspiring. Through his meticulous reporting and his compassionate storytelling, Gould performs a small miracle, a literary resurrection, allowing journalists so cruelly killed to tell their own stories completely and honestly. In an age when journalism is threatened by economic collapse and deep public cynicism, Gould’s book reminds us that journalism can be beautiful and meaningful and that its power to combat injustice so great that some journalists around the world are willing to give their lives to tell the truth." —Joel Simon, Executive Director, Committee to Protect Journalists

“In an investigative tour de force, Gould brings a level of detail and realism to his descriptions of people and places that makes the book's 400 pages melt away . . . [Marked for Death] should be required reading for anyone who prizes democracy, journalist or not. —Concordian, Concordia University’s Independent Student Newspaper (Canada)

From the Publisher