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Moving Mountains
One of the most enduring images of the Ethiopian famine that shocked the world in 1984 was that of the young International Red Cross nurse who, surrounded by thousands of starving people and with limited supplies, had the terrible task of choosing which children to feed, knowing that those she turned away might not last the night. That nurse was Claire Bertschinger, and those pictures inspired Live Aid, the biggest relief programme the world had ever seen. 'In her was vested the power of life and death,' Bob Geldof said. 'She had become God-like, and that is unbearable for anyone.' Michael Buerk, whose BBC documentary first showed those pictures, persuaded Claire to return to Ethiopia almost twenty years later. For all those years she had been haunted by the memory of the terrible choices she had been forced to make. But when she met them again, the survivors welcomed her back with open arms, and called her Mamma Claire.
Born in Sheering, Essex, into an Anglo-Swiss family, Claire Bertschinger had to overcome the handicap of her dyslexia to qualify as a nurse. When she joined the International Red Cross, she fulfilled a zest for adventure and a passionate vocation for relief work in dangerous places. She has worked with the war-wounded and hostages in Lebanon, with the Mujahidin in Afghanistan, and with victims of civil war and displaced persons in Uganda, Sierra Leone and the Sudan. Working in war zones she often came under fire herself while trying to save the lives of others.
Moving Mountains is a remarkable tale of courage, commitment and compassion: the story of a resourceful woman who put her own life on hold in order to devote herself to others.
Born in Sheering, Essex, into an Anglo-Swiss family, Claire Bertschinger had to overcome the handicap of her dyslexia to qualify as a nurse. When she joined the International Red Cross, she fulfilled a zest for adventure and a passionate vocation for relief work in dangerous places. She has worked with the war-wounded and hostages in Lebanon, with the Mujahidin in Afghanistan, and with victims of civil war and displaced persons in Uganda, Sierra Leone and the Sudan. Working in war zones she often came under fire herself while trying to save the lives of others.
Moving Mountains is a remarkable tale of courage, commitment and compassion: the story of a resourceful woman who put her own life on hold in order to devote herself to others.
- GenresAfricaNonfictionHistory
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 4, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 4, 2010
An inspiring figure! I was coninually amazed at her fortitude and the way she was mainly undaunted by huge-seeming problems or dangers.
January 17, 2021
3.5 Stars
A memoir of life in service is fantastic. Filled with crazy stories from the writer's life and how each moment acted as a lesson learnt, I found myself gripped by her journey. Her story is so packed full of wisdom and honesty. It highlighted her struggles with PTSD after working in Ethiopia during the famine and how after years she overcame it and continued to be the change for good.
Although, in saying that there were times I felt the narrative was a little slow.
A memoir of life in service is fantastic. Filled with crazy stories from the writer's life and how each moment acted as a lesson learnt, I found myself gripped by her journey. Her story is so packed full of wisdom and honesty. It highlighted her struggles with PTSD after working in Ethiopia during the famine and how after years she overcame it and continued to be the change for good.
Although, in saying that there were times I felt the narrative was a little slow.
May 21, 2011
Moving Mountains tells the true story of hurt, pain, suffering, loss, disease, starvation and hope. It is hope that ties these themes together, and for Claire Bertschinger, it is hope that got her through. Working as a nurse for the International Red Cross, she has born witness to some of the most horrifying scenes, and travelled to some of the most dangerous places on the planet.
After overcoming dyslexia as a teenager, Bertschinger qualified as nurse. Moving Mountains is the story of her life, the horrors she has seen, and the joy. But most of all, this book is about the hope that can be found in the most remarkable of places.
In 1985 Claire appeared on TV around the world; the news clip showed her having to choose which children out of thousands who were starving to accept into a feeding programme. While Claire didn’t think twice about having been filmed, she had a huge impact on thousands back at home in the UK. It was this small news clip that inspired Live Aid.
For many years she had been haunted by the choices she had to make at the feeding station in Ethiopia, haunted by the thought that she had sent some children to certain death. It wasn’t until 2005, twenty years later that she felt that was able to return, this memorable experience is one of only many in Moving Mountains.
Moving Mountains will break your heart, it is the sweetest, most beautiful and moving account of a life spent helping others. It is well written, an amazing feat in itself given that the author is dyslexic. This book is incredibly truthful, and I’d be lying if I said it was easy to read. It was impossible to put down, certainly, but some of the stories she has to tell and experiences she has been through are just so horrific and very hard to read. A book doesn’t often move me to tears, but at points this one certainly did.
This book deals with some of the facts of life we tend to gloss over living a relatively sheltered life. It points out what is reality for much of the world and opens your eyes. It is a story which needs to be told, and one which really needs to be shared.
After overcoming dyslexia as a teenager, Bertschinger qualified as nurse. Moving Mountains is the story of her life, the horrors she has seen, and the joy. But most of all, this book is about the hope that can be found in the most remarkable of places.
In 1985 Claire appeared on TV around the world; the news clip showed her having to choose which children out of thousands who were starving to accept into a feeding programme. While Claire didn’t think twice about having been filmed, she had a huge impact on thousands back at home in the UK. It was this small news clip that inspired Live Aid.
For many years she had been haunted by the choices she had to make at the feeding station in Ethiopia, haunted by the thought that she had sent some children to certain death. It wasn’t until 2005, twenty years later that she felt that was able to return, this memorable experience is one of only many in Moving Mountains.
Moving Mountains will break your heart, it is the sweetest, most beautiful and moving account of a life spent helping others. It is well written, an amazing feat in itself given that the author is dyslexic. This book is incredibly truthful, and I’d be lying if I said it was easy to read. It was impossible to put down, certainly, but some of the stories she has to tell and experiences she has been through are just so horrific and very hard to read. A book doesn’t often move me to tears, but at points this one certainly did.
This book deals with some of the facts of life we tend to gloss over living a relatively sheltered life. It points out what is reality for much of the world and opens your eyes. It is a story which needs to be told, and one which really needs to be shared.
June 11, 2009
This is the story of a remarkable woman . My hero. Claire Bertshinger
who works as a nurse with the red cross in war torn and poverty stricken areas around the world ,
Truely inspiring.
who works as a nurse with the red cross in war torn and poverty stricken areas around the world ,
Truely inspiring.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews