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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Where Are They Now?, August 21, 2003
Those seeking detailed biographies of the dictators Italian journalist Orizio tracks down, or penetrating histories and analyses of the years of their respective rule should turn elsewhere, as this is not the book for them. Instead, this is an oddly compelling mix of investigatory reportage and "Where Are They Now?" for readers with an interest in international events. Anyone looking for rigor and meticulous detail will not be pleased with the short chapters such as those on Idi Amin or Bokassa, in which Orizio spends more time recounting his efforts to find his quarry than actually talking to them. This is not necessarily a bad thing though, for the sad truth of the book is that these dictators may have come from a range of cultural and economic backgrounds, but they all end up saying the same thing. In his preface, Orizio writes that "I deliberately chose those who had fallen from power in disgrace, because those who fall on their feet tend not to examine their own conscience." However, the cliché of the banality of evil fulfills itself, as every single interviewee has the same lies, excuses, and delusions as the others (except for Bokassa, who insists the Pope secretly proclaimed him the 13th Apostle). Unrepentence is rife, as the interviewees trot out the same old chestnuts:"history will vindicate me", "the crimes I'm accused of are all lies perpetrated by my enemies", "my country was better off under me, " "I love my people/country." Clearly none of them have any interest in or incentive for honest examination of their rule, indeed, at this point belief in their own mythology is probably an ingrained psychological self-defense mechanism. Orizio does present a brief sketch of each dictator's country, and of the history of their rule. We find that hand in hand with the psychological similarity is a methodological similarity in rule. Rise to power based on ideology (or voodoo in the case of Baby Doc), consolidation of power via construction of cult of personality enforced by secret police, leading to corruption, cronyism, and systematic transfer of national wealth to Swiss bank accounts. The odd man out in all this is General Jaruzelski, who instituted martial law in Poland in 1981, and whose hands are vastly less bloody than those of the six others in the book. Indeed, one is almost tempted into feeling sorry for him, lumped in with the half-dozen Marxists, Maoists, Ultranationalists, and nut cases who ruined their countries. The book is an excellent introduction to some creepy, and yes, evil, figures from the recent past. Mengistu, for example, is completely forgotten in the U.S., and the distinctly creepy Hoxha couple of Albania are totally unknown.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good but Light Read, June 10, 2003
By A Customer
"Talk of the Devil" by Riccardo Orizio is a journalist's quest to interview famous past dictators. The focus of the book is both on the subjects and on author's efforts to find them, and this detracts from the result. The dictators (or their spouses) are an interesting assortment, but certainly not expansive. There are three from Africa (Idi Amin Dada, Mengistu Haile-Mariam and Jean-Bedel Bokassa), three from Europe (Wojciech Jaruzelski, Nexhimije Hoxha and Mira Markovic) and one from the Western Hemisphere (Jean-Claude Duvalier). The author omitted South American dictators from his sample, and no Asian or Arab dictators are sought or found. My interest in ethics drew me to the book: I had hoped to find some concepts or ideas that drove these people to make such terrible choices. However, while Orizio is a fine journalist, his writing and interview style did not easily aid me in my goal. Generally, most denied they did anything unethical, called their accusors liars, and appeared unable to distinguish between their own fortunes and that of their countries. The Africans in particular were very uneven: Dada was not sufficiently interviewed and Bokassa came across as clinically insane. Mariam claims to be a dedicated Marxist, but he also oddly admits to have shopped around for superpower allies after taking power. One almost gets the impression that, had the US been willing to assist him, he might have been a Capitalist. But neither the US nor Maoist China provided support, and Russia's Marxism-Leninism won him over by default. Like the others, Haiti's Jean-Claude Duvalier appeared to seriously believe he was good for his nation, and beloved there still. Orizio never really interviewed three European dictators. He interviewed the two wives (albeit strong-willed and perhaps powerful) and Poland's Jaruzelski. Of these, Jaruzelski clearly does not belong in this company (and probably does not belong in the book): of all of the persons interviewed, he is introspective and thoughtful. His lapdog-like devotion to the Soviet Union, even after that nation so brutalized him and his family, reminds one of a person suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. And there is what the book lacks: footnotes, endnotes, an index, decent photographs, consistent organization, good historical information on the dictatorships and their horrors, and a better editor. But what the journalist needed most was probably a fixed set of good questions to ask each individual, and perhaps a psychologist sidekick to join in the travels. While Orizio certainly crafted a readable book, he provides little new to help us understand what happened, and why.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A sort of VH-1 Behind the Despot, May 21, 2003
This book is based on a great concept. Throughout recent history, there have been notorious dictators who, though years ago, dominated our headlines while now are merely footnotes in history books. Riccardo Orizio decides to find seven of these dictators ,interview them, find out what they have been up to, and what they feel about there reign. Each dictator takes a chapter, and the readers learns about their past, their feelings, and their own view of themselves, which proves extremely fascinating. In each chapter, Riccardo details his ordeals on reaching these fallen dictators, a short history of what they did, and what they are currently up to. Riccardo does a great job of simultaneously making fun of and humanizing these individuals. He also provides insight into there current lives, from Idi Amin's sons, one of whom played basketball in Boston College, the other being a military terrorist being help by Idi himself, to Slobadon Milosevic's wife, who plays the role of a tortured, loyal wife. I think the main problem of this book is that it is too addictive. It's a short book, so while I intended to have this book last me a week, I couldn't put in down. I bought at noon, and I finished before dinner. One complaint might be that the interviews and background information are not thorough. While true, I think that by leaving out the text book information, he was able to immerse the reader with the dictator's lives and provide great fluidity. All in all, it's a great idea that proves too addictive to put down.
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