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Strength & Compassion: Photographs and Essays
Strength and Compassion brings together the best of Eric Greitens' award-winning international humanitarian photography work with a striking series of essays. Engaging photographs from Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, the Gaza Strip, Croatia, and Bolivia, are combined with bold, intelligent essays on strength, pity, dignity, courage, faith, time, hope, and compassion.
Though the photographs for this book were taken in different countries and amid different struggles, a common theme even in times of great hardship and in the face of great evil, people with strength and compassion can live with courage. We see the unmistakable, sometimes irreparable consequences of violence and war, yet we also see the unmistakable, always inspiring power of men, women, and children who live through these trials with dignity and emerge with hope.
Ideas and images come together to touch the reader directly. Holocaust survivor Nesse Godin says of Strength and Compassion , "Eric Greitens' photographs and essays help us all to see that, even in the most difficult circumstances, we can act with kindness. We can make a difference...I love Eric's book because it helps us to remember, but more importantly, it teaches us how to act."
Greitens has worked with and photographed some of the world's most vulnerable populations in situations of great suffering, yet his images and essays stand as a tribute to the dignity and strength of human beings.
Strength and Compassion is both brutal and beautiful. We emerge from it wiser, connected to our compassion, and prepared to live with courage.
Though the photographs for this book were taken in different countries and amid different struggles, a common theme even in times of great hardship and in the face of great evil, people with strength and compassion can live with courage. We see the unmistakable, sometimes irreparable consequences of violence and war, yet we also see the unmistakable, always inspiring power of men, women, and children who live through these trials with dignity and emerge with hope.
Ideas and images come together to touch the reader directly. Holocaust survivor Nesse Godin says of Strength and Compassion , "Eric Greitens' photographs and essays help us all to see that, even in the most difficult circumstances, we can act with kindness. We can make a difference...I love Eric's book because it helps us to remember, but more importantly, it teaches us how to act."
Greitens has worked with and photographed some of the world's most vulnerable populations in situations of great suffering, yet his images and essays stand as a tribute to the dignity and strength of human beings.
Strength and Compassion is both brutal and beautiful. We emerge from it wiser, connected to our compassion, and prepared to live with courage.
- GenresNonfiction
172 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2008
128 people want to read
About the author
Eric Greitens
8 books162 followersEric Greitens was an Angier B. Duke Scholar, Truman Scholar, Rhodes Scholar, Navy SEAL, White House Fellow, champion boxer and sub-3 hour marathon runner. He is currently the founder/Chairman of the Center for Citizen Leadership in St. Louis, MO.
Eric's book of award-winning photographs and essays, Strength and Compassion , grew from his humanitarian work. His doctoral thesis, Children First, investigated the ways in which international humanitarian organizations can best serve war-affected children. He has worked as a humanitarian volunteer, documentary photographer, and researcher in Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, the Gaza Strip, Croatia, and Bolivia."
Eric's book of award-winning photographs and essays, Strength and Compassion , grew from his humanitarian work. His doctoral thesis, Children First, investigated the ways in which international humanitarian organizations can best serve war-affected children. He has worked as a humanitarian volunteer, documentary photographer, and researcher in Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, the Gaza Strip, Croatia, and Bolivia."
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 23, 2017
Published in 2008 long before Eric Greitens became the Governor of Missouri, this title not only shows the reader some of his award winning photography, but also gives you a glimpse into how he views the world and all of its people and the experiences that led him to this viewpoint. As the title implies he believes that one needs both strength and compassion to not only be a good leader and person, but in some cases just to survive horrible events. The photos are from his research and documentary photography work with children and families in Rwanda, Albania, Mexico, India, Croatia, Bolivia, and Cambodia and even though some show the horrible side of humanity there is also hope.
Awards:
New York Book Festival, Winner for Photography and Grand Prize Winner
Foreword Magazine Book of the Year, Gold Medal for Photography
2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner for Photography
Silver Medalist for the Nautilus Book Awards for Art/Photography Book
Winner of the National Indie Excellence Award for Best Photography Book
Awards:
New York Book Festival, Winner for Photography and Grand Prize Winner
Foreword Magazine Book of the Year, Gold Medal for Photography
2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner for Photography
Silver Medalist for the Nautilus Book Awards for Art/Photography Book
Winner of the National Indie Excellence Award for Best Photography Book
February 11, 2011
Amazing photographs.
June 10, 2011
A sincere portrait of humanity. The photos are stunning and the essays are enlightening.
August 16, 2011
I felt like this was a lighter version of The Heart and The Fist. I liked it, but I wanted more---more pictures and more essays...maybe I'll re-read his other book :)
August 25, 2018
Book #46 for 2018
Old Firehouse Books Summer Bingo Square: A Book of Nonfiction
The Messy Middle Summer Reading Challenge: A book by someone you might not spiritually agree with
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge: Won't Be Long - Read a collection of short stories or essays
Books Inter Alia: A book that challenges your opinion (that Eric Greitens is a piece of shit)
While I Was Reading: Read a book written by an author from the state where you grew up
Abandoned Book Rescue: A book you didn't want to read in the first place
Better World Books: A book by a politician not in office
Yes, I sought this out specifically to celebrate the resignation of Eric Greitens from the Missouri governorship. No, I didn't actually want to read it. But it did turn out to be interesting in some ways.
I'll start out with the text, some of which was contributed by Paul Rusesabagina and Bobby Muller. Rusesabagina's foreword made me realize that I know practically nothing about the Rwandan genocide. I really need to do something about that. I wonder if Hotel Rwanda is where I should start, or if I should work up to that. As far as I can tell, Rusesabagina and Muller (who wrote the introduction and is a Vietnam vet and a pacifist) are genuine good guys and haven't been revealed to actually be scumbags like Greitens. But I find myself questioning that due to their association with Greitens, and I don't have any idea if I'm being fair to them.
The thing is, Greitens is a really good -- well, perhaps I should say smooth -- writer. His essays in this book say all the right things, and if this is the kind of rhetoric he used in campaigning -- and why wouldn't it be -- I am not at all surprised that he got elected. However, if you take the time and effort to break down what he's saying and read between the lines, you'll find the usual privileged right-wing bullshit at its core. So yes, this book did challenge my opinion of Greitens, but I ultimately concluded that he's a dangerous conservative who should not be taken at face value.
Okay, now, on to the photography. I was determined to be open-minded about Greitens, especially regarding his talent as a photographer. Hey, even assholes can produce stunning works of art. This book put his work at a disadvantage, though. I don't know whose decision it was to do this layout with a sliver of a photograph being displayed on the edge of the page preceding the page turn. Maybe they thought they were being -- pardon the pun -- edgy? Well, whatever they were trying to accomplish, they kinda ruined the book visually.
Looking past that as best I can, I'd say Greitens has above-average skill as a photographer. Maybe a third of the photos in this book were visually arresting. I can see how some of them would be worthy of prizes or awards. But most of the photos presented here were flat or boring. Too many of them were simple shots of people posed for a standard group photo. And too many of them were of people of color who seemed to be barely suppressing an eyeroll and the thought, "Great, just what we need, a white dude with a camera."
Perhaps I am being unfair. Awareness is key to solving problems, after all. And I admitted just a few paragraphs ago that my awareness of awful things in Rwanda was abysmal. So even if Greitens is not a true artist behind the lens, he did some good here. It's just difficult to reconcile this work with the revenge porn photography that ultimately -- along with an entitled approach to fundraising -- got him pushed out of office.
So, do I still think Eric Greitens is a piece of shit? Well, yeah. Just maybe not a complete piece of shit. But I'm still glad he's no longer the governor of my home state.
Old Firehouse Books Summer Bingo Square: A Book of Nonfiction
The Messy Middle Summer Reading Challenge: A book by someone you might not spiritually agree with
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge: Won't Be Long - Read a collection of short stories or essays
Books Inter Alia: A book that challenges your opinion (that Eric Greitens is a piece of shit)
While I Was Reading: Read a book written by an author from the state where you grew up
Abandoned Book Rescue: A book you didn't want to read in the first place
Better World Books: A book by a politician not in office
Yes, I sought this out specifically to celebrate the resignation of Eric Greitens from the Missouri governorship. No, I didn't actually want to read it. But it did turn out to be interesting in some ways.
I'll start out with the text, some of which was contributed by Paul Rusesabagina and Bobby Muller. Rusesabagina's foreword made me realize that I know practically nothing about the Rwandan genocide. I really need to do something about that. I wonder if Hotel Rwanda is where I should start, or if I should work up to that. As far as I can tell, Rusesabagina and Muller (who wrote the introduction and is a Vietnam vet and a pacifist) are genuine good guys and haven't been revealed to actually be scumbags like Greitens. But I find myself questioning that due to their association with Greitens, and I don't have any idea if I'm being fair to them.
The thing is, Greitens is a really good -- well, perhaps I should say smooth -- writer. His essays in this book say all the right things, and if this is the kind of rhetoric he used in campaigning -- and why wouldn't it be -- I am not at all surprised that he got elected. However, if you take the time and effort to break down what he's saying and read between the lines, you'll find the usual privileged right-wing bullshit at its core. So yes, this book did challenge my opinion of Greitens, but I ultimately concluded that he's a dangerous conservative who should not be taken at face value.
Okay, now, on to the photography. I was determined to be open-minded about Greitens, especially regarding his talent as a photographer. Hey, even assholes can produce stunning works of art. This book put his work at a disadvantage, though. I don't know whose decision it was to do this layout with a sliver of a photograph being displayed on the edge of the page preceding the page turn. Maybe they thought they were being -- pardon the pun -- edgy? Well, whatever they were trying to accomplish, they kinda ruined the book visually.
Looking past that as best I can, I'd say Greitens has above-average skill as a photographer. Maybe a third of the photos in this book were visually arresting. I can see how some of them would be worthy of prizes or awards. But most of the photos presented here were flat or boring. Too many of them were simple shots of people posed for a standard group photo. And too many of them were of people of color who seemed to be barely suppressing an eyeroll and the thought, "Great, just what we need, a white dude with a camera."
Perhaps I am being unfair. Awareness is key to solving problems, after all. And I admitted just a few paragraphs ago that my awareness of awful things in Rwanda was abysmal. So even if Greitens is not a true artist behind the lens, he did some good here. It's just difficult to reconcile this work with the revenge porn photography that ultimately -- along with an entitled approach to fundraising -- got him pushed out of office.
So, do I still think Eric Greitens is a piece of shit? Well, yeah. Just maybe not a complete piece of shit. But I'm still glad he's no longer the governor of my home state.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews