An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action In The Twenty-first Century

Dr. Orbinski is one in a million.

2 years ago

This book is touching on a thousand different levels. It takes a unique kind of person to do the kinds of things that Dr. Orbinski has done, and to devote their life to the well-being of others. I also found it particularly great that he used to have a practice in my home town. You must pick this up, it is amazing.

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A Worthwhile Struggle

2 years ago

"Today one of the greatest challenges facing humanitarianism is the blurring of boundaries between humanitarian assistance and the political objectives of military intervention." This is what Orbinski struggles with through the book and through the telling of his personal experiences in Somalia, Rwanda and throughout the world. How can we separate aid from politics? His storytelling is often brutally straightforward and shows that he is clearly personally involved in the struggle for… + read more

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• 3 people found this helpful

AMAZING!!!

2 years ago

Insightful, Compelling, Truthful, Inspiring - A Must read - give it to your kids to inspire them!

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• 3 people found this helpful

Wasnt bad but wasnt great either

2 years ago

This book attracted me as it promised to educate on humanitarian aid and agencies as well as the world situation in the 1990s. Sadly, I dont feel satisfied with what I am coming away with. There was an overwhelming use of acronym's, which likely resulted in missed information. It was a powerful personal account of Orbinski's experiences with MSF which illustrated vivid scences and meaningful experiences. However, I feel that more background to each countries conflict would have been helpful. A… + read more

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• 7 people found this helpful

Beautiful

2 years ago

A book for every human being. A collection of stories through the eyes of a man, a physician, who has seen, lived through and done so much. This book will bring tears, anger, and perhaps an overwhelming feeling, but you will come out of it learning a lot more about humanitarianism and how everything just depends on our human choices.

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• 10 people found this helpful

OH MY!

2 years ago

This book truly opens your eyes to what cruelty mankind can do to one another. This book leaves you grateful to be born in a country like Canada where women don't worry about getting raped every day trying to survive and where people are maiming and torturing each other just because you're a little different. There aren't words for how important this book is. I've read in passing about the Rwandan Genocide, but through Dr. James Orbinski's words, you see it and you live it. I knew going… + read more

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