Saving Sudan, One Book at a Time

To kill another human being is an action that most people cannot fathom.  The desire to wipe out an entire group of people, therefore, is on the verge of unimaginable.  Yet this is exactly what genocide is, and it is splattered across the history of humanity.  In the pages of her book When the Stars Fall to Earth, humanitarian, journalist, and author Rebecca Tinsley brings the word “genocide” to life as she describes the struggle of five young Darfuris to survive in war-torn Sudan.

A map of Sudan. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Spesh531.

The book follows characters from different villages across Darfur, a region in southern Sudan, who are eventually connected by the tragedy that they experience.  Though the characters are numerous, Tinsley subtly develops each one so that they are clearly distinct from one another, yet relatable.  Each chapter focuses on either a different character or a different time period, which can occasionally be confusing. However, this element of Tinsley’s work is what makes it so captivating; it allows the reader to see the same issue from multiple perspectives.  The absence of linear time in this book is one of its particular points of strength, in my opinion, as it adds dimension to the story.  How the conflict between the Arabs and the Fur people of Sudan grows over time, eventually leading to the genocide, becomes clear to the reader.

When the Stars Fall to Earth is based on hundreds of interviews conducted with refugees from Darfur, which brings an element of credibility to this fictional story.  The realization that atrocities like the ones Tinsley describes are based in reality is what makes this story emotional and unforgettable. At the end of the book, Tinsley includes a section instructing readers about how to get involved with relief efforts for Sudanese refugees, proving that this book is truly a work of literature with a cause.

Rebecca Tinsley will be coming to BU on Wednesday, October 12 to talk about the human rights work that she has done in Darfur, Rwanda, and Uganda.  The event, which is called “Why Genocide Keeps Happening in Africa,” will take place at the Hillel House at 5pm.  For more information about the event, please click here.

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