Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis [Hardcover]

Dan Crowe (Editor), Tom Craig (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2010

Powerful essays by such luminaries and literary giants as Daniel Day-Lewis and Martin Amis offer a compassionate look at the crises that most affect our world today.

An important book for anyone interested in global issues, Writing on the Edge features twelve essays that take the reader to countries in crisis. Award-winning writer Martin Amis experienced firsthand the problems of gang violence in Colombia, South America; New York Times bestselling author Tracy Chevalier focuses on the abuse of women in Burundi, East Africa; Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis writes of meeting children raised in war-torn Palestine; Booker Prize–winning author DBC Pierre addresses the unusually high incidence of mental health issues in Armenia. Award-winning photographer Tom Craig was commissioned by the humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders to document the writers in these places in trouble. His striking photographs amplify the sense of compassion required while also demonstrating that beautiful humanity is the victim of tragedy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In the collection Writing On the Edge, fourteen esteemed writers chronicle their travels with MSF teams through countries in crisis. Accompanied by Tom Craig's photographs, Martin Amis, Tracy Chevalier, Daniel Day Lewis and others take readers into rarely seen reaches of Colombia, Burundi, Gaza, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and elsewhere." ~The Huffington Post

"These art works, in their artistry and complexity of thought, start conversations, whereas most non-professional images and texts have the more straightforward task of delivering “subjectified” information. This is why a book like Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis, which was created by photographer Tom Craig in conjunction with Médecins Sans Frontières, is an important anthology." ~The Last Magazine

"An important book with an unblinking view of global issues, Writing on the Edge features fourteen essays that take the reader on a harrowing tour of countries in crisis...These powerful stories, accompanied by Tom Craig’s moving photographs make an impact on the reader that will not soon be forgotten." ~PhotographyBlog.com

"So it is with the stories and photos here which take the reader into some of the world’s most persistent agony zones... To compile this panorama of suffering, photographer Tom Craig took with him some of the world’s most eloquent writers and asked each to put into words the specific situations his photos could only hint at... Craig’s 100 color pictures are both riveting and heartbreaking.. The spotlight is always on the downtrodden. In the end, the book suggests, the only sure victory is in the trying, in not turning away." ~Foreword

"Of course, reporting thusly is only the beginning, albeit an important one, as we cannot attempt to fix that which the world cannot or does not want to see. And from the perspective of these writers and researchers, there are few people or organizations that have much, beyond a sense of service, to gain in revealing these often intentionally obscured sights. But merely for that alone, we should be grateful for those who do." ~BlogOnBooks.com

About the Author

Renowned photographer Tom Craig has been nominated three times for British Magazine photographer of the year. Dan Crowe is the founder of blazingword.com, the literary editor of Another Magazine, and the author of How I Write: The Secret Lives of Authors (Rizzoli).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (April 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847832910
• ISBN-13: 978-0847832910
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #826,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Tenacity of Humanity, June 18, 2010

By 

Ilona K. Gebhard (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis (Hardcover)

An excellent but somewhat depressing read. The essays highlights the worldwide work of Medecines sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders). The writers document the struggles and strengths of people coping with poverty, lack of education, and the lack of resources, all through no fault of the own. The accompaning photos makes the text come to life by personalizing the people and the events. The book, while a tribute to MSF, can be read on several levels, such as the universal struggle against life's oppressions, the damaging of people due to war, the resilence of many when adversity strikes, and the hopes and desires of people to survive.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars review of Writing on the Edge, June 16, 2010

By 

C. OrtmanWelch (Unadilla, NY, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis (Hardcover)

Wonderful book- a must read for everyone- written by those who see and deal with third world issues from their personal point of view. As one who believes everyone should live in a third world country at some point in their lives to understand how very blessed we are to live in the U.S., this book can give you the next best thing to being there.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have, September 19, 2011

By 

Xels - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis (Hardcover)

This book is fantastic, it doesn't embellish or play on creating guilt; it merely tells stories in matter of fact ways. The reality is that it doesn't need to do any more, because the stories are powerful on their own. The images superbly capture the story the writes convey. I've purchased this book at least five times just so others have the chance to read it and pass it along. Its a waste to have it lying on a shelf.