Journal Entry 1 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, August 31, 2003

Four men, all press photographers, dubbed the "bang bang club" are thrown together as the cover the new stories of civil war that took place in the South African townships in the late 80's early 90's. A real eye opening book that introduces you to such horrors as "The Necklace". The most famous of these photographers was Kevin Carter who was to win the Pulitzer prize for one of his snaps taken in the famine hit Sudan. Kevin was later to take his own life and was to become the subject of a song by the Manic Street Preachers.
I thought this book was good enough to start a bookring with,a list of those involved in this ring are..

citrus
Aquina
Miss-R
tanis
chelseagirl
(then back to me) 

Journal Entry 2 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, February 09, 2004

Making its way to citrus in austria. 

Journal Entry 3 by citrus from not specified, not specified not specified on Thursday, February 12, 2004

received it today... thanks again :)
(will start reading it this weekend, to keep the bookring traveling as fast as possible...)

Feb. 22.: I'm halfway trough the book but it find it hard to read it at once because every chapter arouses so many emotions... So i just read it in little bits, but I'll try to finish it as soon as possible... 

Journal Entry 4 by citrus from not specified, not specified not specified on Monday, March 01, 2004

i finally finished the book. i sometimes had a hard time understanding everything, for example some political expressions, but it's a great book. Thanks for sharing it!

sending it to Aquina now... 

Journal Entry 5 by Aquina from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, March 13, 2004

I´m already reading it...it´s a wonderfull book.
Thank you for sharing it Robert! 

Journal Entry 6 by Aquina from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 11, 2004

This a very touching book, it makes you wonder about how easy it is to stop being an human but also how hope, redemption and forgivness exist where you least expect to find them.
Going to Miss-R now!
 

Journal Entry 7 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Today i recieved another copy of this book as the previous one seems to have gone missing in the post, quite ironic really, cos i'm a postman, anyway this bookring will be up and running again soon 

Journal Entry 8 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, August 02, 2004

Now on its way to Miss-R 

Journal Entry 9 by Miss-R from Lingfield, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Hurrah, it's arrived! Been looking forward to reading this for ages. So far I've just flicked through the pictures, to get a face to go with the name Kevin Carter. 

Journal Entry 10 by Miss-R from Lingfield, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 15, 2004

In the post. 

Journal Entry 11 by GinPoodle from Fleet, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 21, 2004

This book arrived a few days ago but I've been to the seaside and not had a chance to journal it until now.

Only a few pages in so not much I can say about it except that I've flicked through to the pictures and I'm worried about nightmares... 

Journal Entry 12 by GinPoodle from Fleet, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 03, 2004

Thanks for letting me read this book, it really helped me understand what people went through in the last years of apartheid. It's not an easy read and I found it quite harrowing at times but I'm very glad I stuck with it. I've never given any thought to what the life of a war photographer must be like but I've certainly had my eyes opened now.

This is the sort of book that stays with you long after you finish reading it. I'm going to read some very light and girly magazines next.

On it's way to Chelseagirl 

Journal Entry 13 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Arrived today safely, thanks Tanis. And thanks robert-walker, for sharing,a nd sorry I'vce had your Manics book so long! I'm planning on reading both of these now and sending them back together. I've had a couple of soft reads recently so feel a bit more ready for something heavy, and after flicking through this, it certainly looks harrowing. 

Journal Entry 14 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 01, 2004

Wow, this is one of the most powerful books I've read in a while.

I've often wondered how journalists and photographers can go about their jobs watching horrific cruelties take place in front of them without stepping in and helping. Now I realise that they are helping in the only way they can; they could maybe physically help a couple of people but by telling the world about the atrocities they witness, they are ultimately achieving a lot more.

I still don't really understand why there was so much trouble in South Africa, but then most of the people there at the time don't seem to have the answers either. What is it about humanity that we can rip each other to shreds simply because we have different skin or come from different backgrounds?

Up till reading this book I knew nothing of the Bang-Bang club and little about Kevin Carter other than that he was seen as some sort of cult hero. That status is certainly under question now - sure, he lived through some dreadful experiences but so did the others, and it should maybe be Ken Oosterbrook, who died in the line of duty, so to speak, who is more the hero. Kevin Carter just copped out.

There's so much more I could say about this book - it's touched me, horrified me, enlightened me and confused me. It's one that will stay with me for a while, and one that i will be searching for for my own collection.

Thank you so much for sharing - this is a book I'm glad I was able to read.

I'll be starting the Manics book next, and will send them back asap! 

Journal Entry 15 by Kleptokitty on Friday, November 12, 2004

I've been reading this in snatches whilst I've been hanging out at Chelseagirl's house.

I picked it up initially to flip through the photos, then got reading the story behind them. It's left me with as many questions about what's wrong with humanity that we can inflict this level of pain and suffering on each other as it has answered my questions about the South African conflict.

I'll leave it where I found it on Chelseagirl's desk as it looks like there's another book to go with it before it heads home. 

Journal Entry 16 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 20, 2005

Book has now arrived home back at Rotherham, thanks to you all for joining this bookring and for mailing the book on.