The Bone Woman - by Clea Koff

In the spring of 1994, Rwanda was the scene of the first act since World War II to be legally defined as genocide.

Two years later, Clea Koff,a twenty-three-year-old forensic anthropologist analyzing prehistoric skeletons in California, was one of sixteen scientists chosen by the UN International Criminal Tribunal to go to Rwanda to unearth the physical evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity.

The Bone Woman is Koff's riveting, intimate account of that mission and six subsequent missions she undertook to Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo on behalf of the UN. It is, ultimately, a story filled with hope, humanity, and justice.

A moving, personal account of Clea's time amonst the dead - a powerful story of immense hope in the face of unspeakable facts.

This book is going to head off on a journey as a bookring. the list below is a work in progress.


amberc - AUST
puppymummy - AUST, #BOOK IS traveling June 16,07#
shpriz1 - US, prefer US Not yet arrived Oct 6
EMA375 -US, US/Canada
Buffra - US ship anywhere
fflloorr- Portugal
boirina - Portugal - ship Europe
Roxy4 - Ireland - anywhere
Icila - France
sofiajam - Portugal
Cassiopaeia - UK
KT-J -UK
allysther - Germany - ship anywhere
booklady331 - US
charlenemartel - Canada
eicuthbertson - Canada
Joanazinha - Netherlands - post Europe
stellamaris - Spain
daisybadger -Scotland - post anywhere
RowanneM - Scotland - post anywhere

Sent on the way today to amberc, as it begins the bookring.

Arrived today. I have a few other bookrings before it. Thanks for the chai, I Haven't tried chai before.

I don't know anyone could do the job she does. It would be emotionally devastating to see such examples of mans inhumanity to man. The appendix of tribunal results was the most unbelievable part of this book.

Posting to puppymummy tomorrow.

Received safely. I can't promise to get it read as quickly as the last bookring, but it will be read soon!

I'm really pleased that this woman became a forensic anthropologist - otherwise, with her habit of burying birds and then digging them up 'just to see what happens', I could see her choosing to become a serial killer or some such!
It sounds like the sort of job I would hate, in particular the smell would get to me, and I found it interesting how detached she needed to be to be able to cope, I'm not sure many people would be able to do that.
Overall a terrific read, and it taught me a lot about what actually happened during some of those news headlines. So glad that there are people out there doing this for justice and for those left behind.
Will be posted tomorrow, thanks for the opportunity to read it.