Pol pot anatomy of a nightmare philip short book

At 560 pages long, it covers the life of saloth sar his original khmer birth name from his fairly privileged childhood to his education academic and political to his taking of power and his life postkhmer rouge. The text sparkles with shrewdly plausible inferences mortared into a compelling narrative. Yet pol pot s utopian experiments in social engineering would result in the death of one in every five cambodiansmore than a million people. As described by historian philip short in his book titled pol pot anatomy of a nightmare, during the winter of 1950, more exclusive student meetings took place several times every month at keng vannsaks flat in paris to discuss political issues and more precisely about the future of cambodia, a country which, for the first time, was. Incredibly detailed biography of the real filthiest person alive. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short in david chandlers excellent biography brother number one from 1993, the author has an eerie feeling of. A gripping and definitive portrait of the man who headed one of the most enigmatic and terrifying regimes of modern times in the three and a half years of pol pots rule, more than a million cambodians, a fifth of the countrys population, were executed or died from hunger.

After graduation, he spent from 1967 to 1973 as a freelance journalist, first in malawi, then in uganda. Feb 08, 2005 a gripping and definitive portrait of the man who headed one of the most enigmatic and terrifying regimes of modern times in the three and a half years of pol pot s rule, more than a million cambodians, a fifth of the countrys population, were executed or died from hunger. A great read from start to finish, pol pot by philip short provides lorry loads of information on one of the worst regimes the world has ever had the misfortune to witness. Philip shorts pol pot is an almanac of extermination that achieves the near.

A life, has been hailed as the definitive biography of the founder of modern china. Short is excellent at coining pithy summations of political motives that ring humanly true. Pol pot by philip short overdrive rakuten overdrive. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short 2006, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The hereditary monarch, king sihanouk, ruled in name only. Yet pol pots utopian experiments in social engineering would result in the death of one in every five cambodiansmore than a million people. The less efficient brutality of amateur totalitarianism. He described the life of cambodias pol pot, the former leader of the khmer rouge who ruled. Search for library items search for lists search for. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short, paperback barnes.

Anatomy of a nightmare, bbc journalist philip short connects the dots between the dictators early indoctrination into unquestioning obedience and how, once in power. He initiated a revolution whose radical egalitarianism exceeded any other in history. Bbc foreign correspondent philip short on his book, pol pot. The best books on cambodia five books expert recommendations. In the threeandahalf years of his rule, more than a million people, a fifth of cambodias population, were executed or died. Anatomy of a nightmare, published by henry holt and company. May 17, 2006 the subtitle of philip shorts biography says it all a nightmare. May 19, 1925april 15, 1998 was a cambodian dictator. A gripping and definitive portrait of the man who headed one of the most enigmatic and terrifying regimes of modern times in the three and a half years of pol pot s rule, more than a million cambodians, a fifth of the countrys population, were executed or died from hunger. Anatomy of a nightmare does what powers book can never bring itself to do calmly, patiently, document a single tragedy, start to finish. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Pol pot and eventually more of his cercle friends were dismayed to find the camp completely segregated, with vietnamese as the highranking members and cambodians given only menial tasks. Nov 06, 2016 philip short born 17 april 1945 is a british journalist and author. In the threeand a half years of his rule, more than a million people, a fifth of.

Pol pot may be the central figure in the book, but shorts text is a history book, not a biography. The subtitle of philip shorts biography says it all a nightmare. Pols had been royal slaves in 1970, the year the american invasion of cambodia swelled the ranks of the khmer rouge. Pol pot and the khmer rouge had successfully captured the cambodian capital phnom. The pol pot regime dismantled political and civic institutions including the. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Anatomy of a nightmare by short, philip holt paperbacks, 2006 pap. Philip short born 17 april 1945 is a british journalist and author he was born in bristol on 17 april 1945.

Philip short observing pol pot at close quarters during the one and only official visit he ever made abroad, to china in 1975, philip short was struck by the cambodian leaders charm and charisma. Anatomy to a massacre and, while acknowledging maos extraordinary beastliness the man was probably responsible for over 50 million deaths he highlights maos pretentions to greatness not unlike napoleons or alexanders. As the head of the khmer rouge, he oversaw an unprecedented and extremely brutal attempt to remove cambodia from the modern world and establish an agrarian utopia. Anatomy of a nightmare by short, philip holt paperbacks, 2006 paperback paperback short on. Philip short is the author of several books, among them the definitive biographies mao. Cambodia entered the postww2 era chafing under a century of french colonialism. Short knows his subject well, having been a reporter for the bbc, the times london and the economist and living in china and cambodia during the 1970s and 80s. Philip short is a british journalist and author specializing in biographies of historical dictators, he studied at cambridge university, he worked as a journalist for the bbc for 25 years as a foreign correspondent197297, a job that allowed him to travel widely and experience wildly different cultures, it would prove a great learning experience that still benefits him as an author. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short much of this book is spent charting the development of the khmer rouge, particularly in its relationship with vietnamese communism. Pol pot may be the central figure in the book, but short s text is a history book, not a biography. The book is exhaustively detailed and very wellwritten. What the reader of a pol pot biography mainly wants to know is whether the egregious savagery of cambodian communism had its origins, or some of them, in the personality of the leader.

Dubois an intelligent and compassionate account of. Anatomy of a nightmare, bbc journalist philip short connects the dots between the dictators early indoctrination into unquestioning obedience and. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. I have read many books on cambodia and this one provides the most information on the regime as a whole and cambodias position in indochina at that time. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short online at alibris. Philip short born 17 april 1945 is a british journalist and author. The history of a nightmare new ed by short, philip isbn. Shorts account of the french period in pol pots life is very good. An idealistic and reclusive figure, pol pot sought to instill in his people values of moral purity and selfabnegation.

How does philip short approach pol pots personality in his biography, pol pot. Philip shorts pol pot is an almanac of extermination that achieves the near impossible feat of translating madness into logic. Pdf pol pot anatomy of a nightmare by philip short. Philip short titles his book pol pot, and many will approach the book wondering how he managed to write a 200,000word text on the life of this famously reclusive and shadowy figure. The text sparkles with shrewdly plausible inferences mortared into a compelling. But in the process, cambodia desended into madness and his name became a byword for oppression. Still, he watched and learned how the viet minh used propaganda and force to take control of peasant villages.

He has been a foreign correspondent for the times london, the economist, and the bbc in uganda, moscow, china, an. Pol pot was an idealistic, reclusive figure with great charisma and personal charm. He adopted his new name the pols had been royal slaves in 1970, the year the american invasion of cambodia swelled the ranks of the khmer rouge. Anatomy of a nightmare contains important warnings. Pol pot himself was assigned tasks such as farming and working in the mess hall.

The history of a nightmare new ed by philip short isbn. Anatomy of a nightmare is an exhaustive biography of the mastermind of the khmer rouge. Philip short refers to his book on mao in his preface to pol pot. Anatomy of a nightmare book by philip short thriftbooks. Anatomy of a nightmare, which is being called the definitive biography of the late cambodian dictator. David levering lewis, pulitzer prizewinning author of w. Short is excellent at coining pithy summations of political. Philip short observed pol pot at close quarters during the one and only official visit pol ever made abroad, to china in 1975.

Pol pots peasant cadres drove the americans away and, once the foreigners were gone, turned their weapons on their own peopleoften, short writes, cannibalizing their victims. Philip short was for many years a foreign correspondent for the bbc, and now lives and writes in southern france. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short librarything. Observing pol pot at close quarters during the one and only official visit he ever made abroad, to china in 1975, philip short was struck by the cambodian leaders charm and charisma. Philip short observed pol pot at close quarters during the one and only of. Anatomy of a nightmare by philip short in david chandlers excellent biography brother number one from 1993, the author has an eerie feeling of being watched by the elusive and smiling. Anatomy of a nightmare and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. He was struck by pol pots charm and charisma, yet, soon after, the leader would emerge as the architect of one of the most radical and ruthless experiments in social engineering ever undertaken. This story begins when pol pot was simply saloth sar, a worthless student who consoled himself with rimbaud because marx was too hard. Anatomy of a nightmare what happened and why 2005 the film archives. Sep 05, 2000 philip short refers to his book on mao in his preface to pol pot. Apr 25, 20 pol pot was an idealistic, reclusive figure with great charisma and personal charm. Philip short s pol pot is an almanac of extermination that achieves the near impossible feat of translating madness into logic.