ELIZABETH MEHREN
Reviews
“Drawing on vivid accounts and poignant anecdotes, this book demonstrates how storytelling is an indispensable tool in revealing truths. Seamlessly weaving personal experiences with global issues, it is a testament to the profound impact of narratives in challenging injustice and fostering action. It shows how the tenacious pursuit of truth-telling not only opens doors to accountability but also serves as a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in misinformation." Geeta O. Anand, Dean, Graduate School of Journalism, UC-Berkeley and Pulitzer-Prize winning author and journalist Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
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“I Lived To Tell The World is a beautiful, moving testament to human resilience. This book skillfully weaves together personal stories with historical facts, giving readers a window into some of our world’s most horrific mass atrocities from a personal point of view. We are invited in as witnesses to hear these intimate stories, and despite the terrifying reality of the wars and genocides we read about, it is impossible not to come away feeling hopeful and full of awe. These stories remind us that it is possible to find meaning and purpose even amid suffering, and that we have agency in determining our path forward." Annie Brewster, MD, Founder and Executive Director, Health Story Collaborative; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Associate Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital
“I Lived to Tell the World is a beautiful and searing gift of memory and reckoning. With this anthology of stories told by genocide survivors, Elizabeth Mehren offers stunning narrative and analysis in league with other unforgettable books that at once plumb the depths of human cruelty and soar to the highest levels of resilience and joy, among them The Diary of Anne Frank, A Problem from Hell by Samantha Power, and We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch. I can’t wait to share these stories with my global health and journalism graduate students.” Prof. Jennifer Beard, Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Global Health
“It is common to look at the world's most horrifying man-made tragedies -- war, genocide, mass persecution -- through a magnifying glass, driving home the scale of the crime. In this powerful book, Elizabeth Mehren uses a microscope instead, zeroing in on the actual human beings who have been the victims of these tragedies, and the amazing courage and resilience that marks their refusal to let the horrors they've suffered define them. You'll find many people to cheer for in these pages.” Mickey Edwards, Member of Congress, retired; visiting professor, Princeton University
“I Lived to Tell the World is a book of incredible power, containing stories of courage beyond measure and perseverance beyond imagining. It is also a book that challenges us all to never forget the words of the great Ellie Wiesel, who said, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.” Kerry Tymchuk, executive director, Oregon Historical Society