I Wouldn't Start from Here: The 21st Century and Where It All Went Wrong [Paperback]

Andrew Mueller (Author), Robert Young Pelton (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2009

What is a jaded rock journalist doing dodging landmines to talk to mercenaries and terrorists? And what kind of conversation can a man who prefers hunting for perfect three-minute pop songs and tubes of beer have with devotees of fasting and ferocity?
Sarajevo. Jerusalem. Kabul. Belfast. Kosovo. Gaza. Basra. New York City. Every place where recent history advertises the stubbornness, intolerance, bloodlust, and cowardice that sully our collective record, there the intrepid Andrew Mueller goes, skidding around the globe from failed state to ravaged war zone to desolate no-man’s-land to try to unpick why we humans seem so prone to plucking war from the jaws of peace.
En route, he meets various influential panjandrums (Al Gore, Gerry Adams, Bono, Paddy Ashdown), any number of assorted warlords and revolutionaries, and a sprinkling of peacemakers and do-gooders. He also manages to get shot at, locked up, and taken on a tour by one of the world’s most infamous terrorist organizations. It’s like a Bond film with much, much less sex, and might appear for that and other reasons to be substantially a story of disappointment. Yet it’s a surprisingly sunny book given the mire in which he finds himself.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* The opening decade of the twenty-first century may go down in history as one of the deadliest and bloodiest on record. From Belfast to Basra, Kosovo to Cameroon, the globe is littered with conflicts between nations and tribes, superpowers and renegade republics. There are cases where the cause is known and identifiable; others that are more nebulous and confused. Some escalate into full-scale war, while others simmer as enduring hostilities. What ultimately unites them, claims Mueller, is the search for identity. An erstwhile rock critic, Mueller took the leap into battlefield journalism to investigate the ways in which a chaotic and tenacious concept of nationality can infuse a country’s individual citizens with the fervor to kill or die in its defense. Having been wounded and imprisoned in pursuit of this underlying truth through 70 of the world’s most volatile regimes, Mueller examines the daily lives of both a new breed of revolutionary and an old guard whose rhetoric is steeped in centuries-old traditions. Peppered with trenchant observations that reflect a nimble, cut-to-the-chase practicality, Mueller’s interviews with everyone from terrorist warlords to international peacemakers are refreshingly irreverent yet astute. --Carol Haggas

Review

"Mueller is the embodiment of what can happen with a fire in the belly and a desire to write out loud." ----Australian Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 472 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press (January 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593762186
• ISBN-13: 978-1593762186
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #595,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I live in London and write things about stuff for a variety of publications, including The Guardian, Monocle, Esquire, Uncut, The Times, The Independent and The New Humanist. The website at www.andrewmueller.net broadcasts regular updates about same. I've written two books, and am currently working steadily towards ceasing procrastinating about starting on a third.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, May 26, 2009

By 

I. Coburn "torndownunit" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Wouldn't Start from Here: The 21st Century and Where It All Went Wrong (Paperback)

I am no expert at writing reviews, but I noticed this book had no reviews and thought someone should comment on it because it's a great book. I stumbled onto Mueller's first book "Rock And Hard Places" at a used book store in my town. I couldn't put it down, and I went searching for other books by him. This book basically carries on from where his first left off.

He tells stories of his travels through various conflict zones in the world, mainly during the 90's. He also returns to the areas to follow up after wars, and regime changes. A lot of these conflicts took place when I was in my early to mid-teens, and not really following the events of the time that closely. So I have really enjoyed learning more about the places, the time, and the conflicts.

In summary he is just a fantastic writer and story teller. He can make you laugh out loud, and make you think. I highly recommend the book, and I recommend tracking down his first book as well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book!!!, June 20, 2011

By 

Keri A. (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Wouldn't Start from Here: The 21st Century and Where It All Went Wrong (Paperback)

I just can't get over the fact that there is only one other review of this book! It's great - the best non-fiction book I've read in years. Pelton details plenty of action in all the various locales he travels too, but also gives you the recent historical background and insight into the complicated politics of the areas as well - all in a very readable way. Even if you aren't big on history and haven't stayed up on current events in the past couple decades - you will like this book. In addition to being an interesting and informative read, it's also quite funny - in a dark sort of way. I must confess that after reading this book I would have gladly jumped at the chance to travel to some remote area of conflict with the author - he makes even the most dangerous of places seem like destinations that must be visited. I hope he continues to travel and puts out another edition!