Letter To Daniel Tie In: Despatches From The Heart

by Fergal Keane

Fergal Keane is one of the BBC's best known foreign correspondents. His latest work for Radio 4 was "Letter to Daniel", an emotional message to his newborn son. This work contains a collection of his pieces and includes the "Letter to Daniel" and a similar despatch he wrote to his deceased father. The book also features many of his pieces for "From Our Own Correspondent" and articles written for the "Spectator", the "Guardian" and the "BBC Worldwide" magazine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Memoir, Autobiography, Journalism, Travel, Essays

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ken Holmes]

Brilliant. Had me in bits. If you have children and you are concerned about war you must read it. If you don't have children and are concerned about war you must read it. If you are not concerned about war. I worry for you.

[John]

Letter To Daniel, published in 1996, is a wonderful, paradoxically lyrical journey through thirty-five short snapshots of the human capacity for folly and bestiality in its desperate need (for most of us) to define an identity, not in terms of our own individuality, but as members of some sect, whether that be an actual sect (as was the case for Asahara’s self-style Path of Supreme Truth in Tokyo) or as an allegiance to some religion, race, colour, national flag, military banner, Big Idea or simply defined by wealth.

The book is a compendium of Fergal Keane’s favourite articles published up to that date during his time as BBC correspondent in southern Africa (23 articles) and various parts of Asia (12). These are topped and tailed by some 40 pages of autobiographical notes on Ireland and his family, and two closing chapters on Ireland and Africa that serve to draw some personal conclusions.

In the final words of the Forward, Keane expresses the hope “that there is in these pages an ultimate sense of glad engagement with the world” and desire to explore “not in fear but in hope”. Engagement, certainly; gladness and hope, no. The book’s 35 snapshots, vividly painted with Keane’s economical use of heartfelt words, is an unflinching catalogue of humanity’s worst aspects - our perennial capacity to inflict pain and destruction upon each other - and is deeply depressing. All the more so when read 25 years later in the knowledge that the very same atrocities, injustices, and dehumanising power-plays are still everywhere, and often in the very same places.

Fortunately 25 years is a short time in history!

[Fionnuala]

I am once again going Thru It and therefore I'm reading Fergal Keane. And once again, excellent, wonderful, divine etc. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is because again, I've read so much of Keane's work now that there are elements of this book I have read before, and while it's always a joy to have more to read, the facts remain the facts and I know them well.

Letter to Daniel is a collection of Keane's writing from various locations, all in the personal, informative essay style he does so well. Descriptive, honest, emotional, it's everything you'd hope for from this writer. Keane has a real talent with writing emotionally – I don't know how he manages to be so honest and open while at the same time never taking centre stage. Even when writing about himself and his own struggles or emotions, he manages to make it clear that he is one part of a massive picture, be that war or family. I suppose this is what makes him such an effective journalist.

[gerard brangan]

The hurt runs deep throughout this book: a moving, chilling hurt that roots itself somewhere in all of us. We live first of all in families, then in clans, then countries and finally in the whole world. And for those who spare a thought for humanity, life slaps us in the face and boots us in the small of the back and forces us to gaze at the blood-stained canvas before us.
Will it ever be possible for us to shake off the labels that define us? The icons, symbols, tattoos, serial numbers, identity tags, emblems, history texts, prayer books - all that burden that life heaps onto our shoulders only ends up contorting our faces into scowls as we reach for a weapon.
I'm Irish, African, Chinese, Jewish, Buddhist, black, white, female, Democrat, Conservative, Protestant, gay, straight, trans, refugee, migrant, ......it doesn't matter! Be who you want to be, but above all else, be kind and respectful to your fellow human being.

.

[Dan Murphy]

A powerful collection of columns, letters and transcripts of radio broadcasts from a renowned BBC foreign correspondent - particularly from his time in Africa covering the change of power from the apartheid regime in South Africa in the mid-nineties, and subsequently the genocide of the Tutsi people in Rwanda.

Also included are transcripts of broadcasted "letters" to his father and newborn son - through this window it's clear to see how Keane has come to view life, and the careful hope he seems to carry forward. His thoughts about the nature of people, and of how we can (and can't) live together are profound and have helped me to reflect a bit too.

Candid, direct, and at times horrifying - but with a gentle kind of poetry too. Recommend.

[Libby]

"it lay in recognising that the humanity had drained out of a great many people, that for the young men who killed Shepard it was as easy to take his life away as it would have been to allow him to live."

"ours was an inarticulacy born of sorrow, fear and incomprehension."

"when i ask the question: 'What kind of man...' i think the answer is very different. What kind of man? anyone, anyone at all. A man like you or me. Not a psychopath. Not a natural born killer. A man born without prejudice or hatred. But rather a man who was conditioned by the preaching of powerful men."

[Lu]

I hadn’t even heard of him, but I was strolling through the streets of London and I passed this bookshop that sold second hand books for 1£. This one was among them. Somehow it intrigued me and I bought it and I’m really glad I did.
It took me quite a while to finish it, I stopped for several months and then picked it up again. But it taught me so much and I really like Fergal Keane’s style of writing. It moved me a lot and was very eye-opening. I’m really glad I got to read it and I bought his book on South Africa to read a more detailed account.

[Citra Rizcha Maya]

Sebagai seorang jurnalis untuk BBC, seringnya Keane menyaksikan begitu banyak perubahan melalui matanya, menuliskannya, menyampaikan pada pembaca.

Surat untuk Daniel, putranya berisi berbagai peristiwa yang disaksikannya. Kadang muram, getir, suram bahkan tak jarang mengerikan.

Sebuah 'surat' dengan bahasa liris nan puitis tapi tak mengurangi nilai-nilai dari peristiwa yang diceritakannya.

Sebuah kado kelahiran yang manis dari seorang ayah untuk putranya.

[David O'Riordan]

An interesting and excellent collection of essays from one of the world's greatest war correspondents.
Keane's writing is captivating and at times, holds the reader in its grip until the grim affects of war are momentarily cast upon.
The writing of the Rwandan Genocide is truly horrific yet compelling.
Essential reading from a gifted narrator.

[Steve Charles]

Very well-written and moving, but also incredibly painful to read, especially the accounts of South Africa's transiton from apartheid to 'democracy' and of the slaughter of Tutsis in Rwanda. The last chapter explains clearly how the rich and powerful have exploited the poor in Africa and the effects of the legacy of colonialism.

[Eva O'Neill]

Loved this book. Was very sad and moving yet fascinating and inspiring. It motivated me to learn more about history of other countries (South African Apartheid, Burma, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Rwanda, Congo)

[Darragh Hennessy]

an eye opener

[Darragh Kelly]

Great writer, great journalist...

[Helen]

Very moving. From the heart.

[Louis]

solid 4 stars. some stunning and poignant chapters, particularly 'letter to my father' and the reporting from Rwanda.

[Elizabeth Payne]

quite brutal and difficult to read, but extraordinarily and beautifully written

[Speakercoret]

bacanya udah lama, tiba2 inget pernah baca ini gara2 baca review2 Mencari Tepi Langit :))

Daniel seorang koresponden luar negeri BBc, tugasnya membuat dia harus meninggalkan keluarganya, dan anaknya yang baru lahir untuk meliput kekacauan kekacauan yang terjadi di berbagai belahan dunia..
Dari surat Daniel untuk anaknya itulah buku ini berasal.. buku ini juga menceritakan pergulatan emosi daniel saat melihat kematian rekannya, melihat korban2 genosida, kalo ga salah si Daniel sempet pengen berhenti dari kerjaannya karena ga tahan dengan banyaknya penderitaan yang dia saksikan.. kayaknya sih :p udah lama sih bacanya, jadi kurang2 inget.. tapi perasaan ada beberapa bagian yang bikin gw berkaca2 *perasaan lagi :p*

[Yemima Yulia]

A precious chance to learn about humanity and problems faced by people all around the globe.
We are still in the long journey to be the real man we destined to be and as long as we fail to see our fellow human's life as precious as ours, we can't see the truth.

[Mark]

Read this because I first heard him reading these on radio 4. Really moving, very honest,

[Tim]

Very moving but not quite as gripping as his books on South Africa and Rwanda.

[Mark O'leary]

Another moving book by Fergal

[Oscar Kenny]

Shed a tear in John Fallons reading the self-titled chapter.

[Ljb]

I will never forget hearing this letter read. Saved for the day my Godson was born.