We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families

Stories from Rwanda

De: Philip Gourevitch

Narrado por: Philip Gourevitch

This program is read by the author.

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

An unforgettable firsthand account of a people's response to genocide and what it tells us about humanity.

This remarkable audiobook chronicles what has happened in Rwanda and neighboring states since 1994, when the Rwandan government called on everyone in the Hutu majority to murder everyone in the Tutsi minority. Though the killing was low-tech - largely by machete - it was carried out at shocking speed: some 800,000 people were exterminated in 100 days. A Tutsi pastor, in a letter to his church president, a Hutu, used the chilling phrase that gives Philip Gourevitch his title.

With keen dramatic intensity, Gourevitch frames the genesis and horror of Rwanda's "genocidal logic" in the anguish of its aftermath: the mass displacements, the temptations of revenge and the quest for justice, the impossibly crowded prisons and refugee camps. Through intimate portraits of Rwandans in all walks of life, he focuses on the psychological and political challenges of survival and on how the new leaders of postcolonial Africa went to war in the Congo when resurgent genocidal forces threatened to overrun Central Africa.

Can a country composed largely of perpetrators and victims create a cohesive national society? This moving contribution to the literature of witness tells us much about the struggle everywhere to forge sane, habitable political orders, and about the stubbornness of the human spirit in a world of extremity.

©1998 Philip Gourevitch (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Incredible coverage

The author had some incredible coverage on the Rwanda genocide from 1994 and other parts of history. I felt though that the book lingered on towards the end though when he finished with most of Rwanda’s history and went to other countries. He did tie it altogether later but could have shortened the book in my opinion. The than that, fantastic coverage.

Clear, harrowing account of an underreported tragedy

Gourevitch does a masterful job of telling the stories of genocide survivors, perpetrators, apologists, and opponents without losing his compass or falling into the all-too-common tropes of both-sidedism or neocolonial dismissiveness. His critique of the international community and humanitarian organizations' response is thoughtful as well as damning.

Comprehensive book of Rwanda’s history

I enjoyed listening to WWTIYTTWWBKWOF because I wanted to know more about Rwandan culture and as a supplement of what I already know. The book is detailed, riveting and info graphic.
The author’s voice and tones were appropriate throughout this book and I also commend him on his bravery for having traveled back and forth to and from Rwanda during those fragile years post their genocide. I learned a descent amount and have more intelligence about Rwandans and their vultures and their governments roles... it still pangs me that a France plus other western nations and organizations were/ still are assisting the perpetrators of the genocide and the other slaughtering that took place before or after the 94’ Genocide.

We have to understand the tragedies of the past to prevent them from happening in the future. Case and point Bosnia, America’s Chattel Slavery, ...

A must read!

Powerful and moving commentary on people and influence. A reminder to stand for what is right.

Enthralling and Heart-Wrenching

An incredible ethnography of the lives of those who lived through one of the world's most shocking tragedies. I could barely stop listening even when I felt like I should. Some of the stories are unbelievable, but I commend the author for taking us all the way there. The narration and writing is superb!

Highly Recommend

I picked this up for a Genocide Studies class in college, and I highly recommend it. I think the writing is excellent, it can be beautiful and vivid in describing the geography of Rwanda, while bluntly and honestly describing the events of the genocide, and how it permeates everything. (and the narration of the audiobook very well conveys this) Many different parts of this book haven't left my head since I listened to it. The earliest example is right at the beginning when Gourevitch poses the question to the reader of what they hope to get from this book.

Moving, speechless

Incredulous events. Saddening and uplifting at various occasions. The human extremes Rwandan people have lived gives me lot of hope. How could a country survive such a hatred monstrosity and regain, keep its oneness. Philip Gourevitch’s own musings and interpretation of the happenings were poignant and stirred a range of thoughts. The tragic story of school girls will remain with me as a beacon of hope.

The story was somewhat non linear which confuses for first few chapters but the seemingly disjointed stories come together as a coherent picture. Narration was not that good. It had a more of crime reporter quality which was ill suited and not in line with the writing. But again after some chapters these dissonances fade into background.

Incredible book

This is one of the most impactful books I’ve read to date. If you have any interest in the African continent, start here, and have a map to look at while you listen so you can keep track of where things are happening. It is greatly detailed about the acts of the genocide as well as the political fallout from the genocide. It also shows the fact that the international community doesn’t mean it when they say “never again” as we watch genocide after genocide happen in continent after continent.

must read

Children should learn how identity politics have killed millions. Books like this help reflect on how we act in society today.

A must read

This should be required reading for anyone interested in Rwanda. Well written and engrossing. A must read