The Shores of Tripoli (Kindle Single) [Kindle Edition]

Marc Herman (Author)

Book Description

Marc Herman, who covered the Libyan revolution for The Atlantic, shines a light on the stories of three rebels and their perilous path to freedom on the road to Tripoli--culminating in Qaddafi's death and the rebels' triumph.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Earlier this year, Marc Herman was sent by The Atlantic to the countryside of Libya, where he set up in a small mountain town outside of Tripoli. He describes the place as one in which "most families had at least one member whose primary job description is 'shepherd.'" It was strictly religious, devoid of alcohol, a place where men and women were forbidden to dine at restaurants together. It was also a place of rich characters and quick and dirty battles that seem to, like the war itself, zoom in and out of focus, coalescing around unforgettable moments of human drama. Herman captures those moments for his readers firsthand, along with the people involved--one man notes, "There's no difference between civilian and soldier in Libya now"--to trace Libya's nascent steps toward the Arab Spring. --Chris Schluep

Review

"Lucid, cinematic, wrenching, humane, The Shores of Tripoli draws on the best traditions of wartime reportage. Herman captures intimate moments of hope and tragedy--along with vital geopolitical context--to create a searing portrait of the revolution that toppled Muammar Qadaffi and brought the rebirth of a more hopeful Libyan nation."  - Tim Dickinson, national affairs correspondent, Rolling Stone

"Herman's prose is zipping and journalistic and his sense is clearly with the people, less as a political stance and more as an acknowledgment of the worth of their stories. As an insight to the people's Arab Spring, it has power and range that belies its brevity." - James Rose, The Australian

"Marc Herman had a peerless seat on the edge of the Libyan conflict and watched as small-town families became players in a revolution that nobody thought could ever occur. And then he discovered an extraordinary secret about the war, hiding in plain sight."  - Tom Zoellner, author of The Heartless Stone and An Ordinary Man

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 122 KB
• Print Length: 33 pages
• Publisher: JGLM (November 21, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006C6D56M
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,280 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #13 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > History > Africa > North Africa
  • #29 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > The World Stage
  • #35 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > Page-turning Narratives

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling narrative about the human side of the war in Libya November 27, 2011

By Jenn Baljko

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

While TV clips of the Arab Spring revolutions and the war in Libya remain vivid in our memories, Marc Herman pulls at the heartstrings as he unfolds the stories of everyday people -- families, teens, children, students, teachers, neighbors -- in the midst of political upheaval, unspeakable sadness, and courageous resolve.

Evocative scene-setting details, in-depth conversations with locals, and great storytelling invite you to take another look at what happened on the ground in Libya. You'll walk away with a better understanding of the country and its people. Investigative reporting at its best.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Shores of Tripoli November 27, 2011

By Dena N Slothower

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I will start off by giving the disclaimer that I do actually know this author.

One of the things I liked about The Shores of Tripoli is that Marc Herman gives a very human face to everything that I have seen and heard on the news. The recent events in Libya can seem a little abstract from this far off. Hearing more about it through the lens of firsthand experience gave me a new way to understand what has happened and what is still happening.

I am addicted to my Kindle reader for iPhone and am always trying to keep it stocked with reading for every mood. I was very happy to add this to my reading list!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Libya up close November 28, 2011

By Marc Alan

Format:Kindle Edition

In THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI, Marc Herman brings great depth and humanity to the revolution in Libya, taking us as readers far beyond the dry facts and details we typically see in the news. Through Herman's uniquely up-close-and-personal perspective--based on his own travels through Libya, interviewing those closest to the action--we come to see those involved as real living, breathing people, otherwise ordinary citizens, families and friends, who were courageous enough to put aside their safety for the sake of a greater cause. There is true heart and personality to Herman's account. At points very informative--Herman does a fantastic job of establishing a sense of geography and history for those with less background on the subject--and at others deeply personal and heartbreaking, THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI will no doubt stick with me for quite a long time to come.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended November 28, 2011

By BrandonF

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Though I went into my reading of THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI with admittedly little background knowledge on the recent events in Libya, Herman's remarkable ability to frame the issues and set the scene had me engrossed from the very beginning of his account. Herman brings true life and color to what could easily be a dry, overly complex rundown of the revolution. The people he meets jump from the page with his vivid descriptions: "Haithem Masud Hamed seemed, at first blush, more suited to the café philosopher role than to the barricades. He was built like fettuccini. He was terminally unkempt and acted woozy, as if recently woken..." I felt as if I was there alongside him, witnessing the tragedies and the successes first hand. I recommend THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI for anyone with an interest in the world around them--the world beyond the limits of our day-to-day media bursts and buzzing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Shores of Tripoli December 6, 2011

By Sheila W.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm usually not a fan of reading war stories, but The Shores of Tripoli is much more than a typical battle book. I was riveted from the first page where Herman describes an innocent's family's forage outside for what they thought was going to be a normal, safe drive along a road they always traveled. During the Arab Spring in Libya, people's lives were turned upside down as freedom fighters met militiamen in what was usually quiet, peaceful mountain towns. This is a story that hasn't been written about before. It's compelling, insightful and may have changed my future reading habits. I know I will read anything Marc Herman writes, he's that good of a writer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another welcome piece of reporting from Marc Herman November 28, 2011

By Jill M. Shallenberger

Format:Kindle Edition

This piece is a welcome addition to Marc Herman's body of reporting. He has a gift for capturing the unexpected--and unexpectedly telling--detail, and for humanizing distant conflict. Many thanks to Mr. Herman for this latest.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tight, up-front narrative December 5, 2011

By Miquel Hudin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Herman has managed to recount a tense and decisive time in the Libyan civil war from this year. In this Single, he takes the reader on the ground to where the battles were being fought and initially largely unknown while all other media was focused on the shores of the Mediterranean. A great read for those that want to know more than soundbites from CNN.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An important story, well written December 5, 2011

By Mr. Grue

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Marc Herman's "THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI" provides a much needed view of the Libyan civil war. Instead of the headline-focused, satellite view that we're all used to from the 24 hour news cycle, the author provides us with a detailed narrative from a few individuals who found that a war had arrived on their doorsteps. The stories he tells are personal, intimate, and human. I also appreciated not only how thoroughly the author fact-checked his sources, but also that explained how he accomplished the fact-checking. A good narrative backed by solid research is the mark of a true journalist.

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