A Thousand Hills - by Stephen Kinzer (Hardcover)

About the Book

In the tradition of Ishmael Beah's bestselling "A Long Way Gone" and Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea," this book recounts the thrilling and uplifting tale of Rwandan President Kagame, who defied the odds to lift himself and his country out of misery toward a more promising future.

Book Synopsis

A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It is the story of Paul Kagame, a refugee who, after a generation of exile, found his way home. Learn about President Kagame, who strives to make Rwanda the first middle-income country in Africa, in a single generation. In this adventurous tale, learn about Kagame's early fascination with Che Guevara and James Bond, his years as an intelligence agent, his training in Cuba and the United States, the way he built his secret rebel army, his bloody rebellion, and his outsized ambitions for Rwanda.

From the Back Cover

Advance Praise for "A Thousand Hills"

"What a fascinating tale! What an inspiration! The courage and triumph of Paul Kagame show the beauty of reconciliation and of transcendent leadership. The world needs to learn his lessons, and Stephen Kinzer's brilliant narrative will help make this enlightenment possible."
--Walter Isaacson, CEO, the Aspen Institute

"A fascinating account of the near-miracle unfolding before our very eyes: a country, Rwanda, rising from the ashes of genocide phoenix-like, and its President, Paul Kagame, who is making it happen. This is no hagiography, for he is depicted warts and all. . . . A very good read."
--Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Praise for Overthrow

"Kinzer's narrative abounds with unusual anecdotes, vivid description, and fine detail, demonstrating why he ranks among the best in popular foreign policy storytelling."
--"Washington Post Book World"

"A jewel."
--Chalmers Johnson

Praise for "All the Shah's Men"

"A thrilling tale that pits two characters worthy of a movie against each other."
--"The Economist"

"A very gripping read. . . . A cautionary tale for our current leaders."
--"The New York Times"

Review Quotes

Advance Praise for A Thousand Hills

"What a fascinating tale! What an inspiration! The courage and triumph of Paul Kagame show the beauty of reconciliation and of transcendent leadership. The world needs to learn his lessons, and Stephen Kinzer's brilliant narrative will help make this enlightenment possible." -Walter Isaacson, CEO, the Aspen Institute

"A fascinating account of the near-miracle unfolding before our very eyes: a country, Rwanda, rising from the ashes of genocide phoenix-like, and its President, Paul Kagame, who is making it happen. This is no hagiography, for he is depicted warts and all. . . . A very good read." --Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"...tells a remarkable tale about a remarkable man."" (The Economist, August 21, 2008)

Kinzer (All the Shah's Men) has penned a hagiographic account of Rwandan president Paul Kagame, the Tutsi refugee who organized the Rwandan Military Front in 1994 and helped halt the genocide in Rwanda. Instead of settling scores, Kagame embarked on a program of reconciliation and reconstruction; Kinzer eloquently describes a physical and psychological recovery unmatched in Africa: a Rwanda whose people are ""bubbling with a sense of unlimited possibility."" Kagame's goal, modeled on the successes of ""Asian tigers"" like Singapore, aims to transform Rwanda into the continent's first middle-income country in a single generation, eschewing foreign aid in favor of reliance on business-driven development. Kinzer does not conceal the bloody realities behind Kagame's acquisition of power nor does he deny Kagame's ""rigorous, absolutist approach to governing."" Nevertheless, he is transparently trusting in Kagame's capabilities and intentions, and while his eloquent prose invites optimism, a half-century of experience urges caution. (June) (Publishers Weekly, April 21, 2008)

About the Author

Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has worked in more than fifty countries on five continents. He has been New York Times bureau chief in Istanbul, Berlin, and Managua, Nicaragua. He is the coauthor of "Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala," and author of "Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua"; "Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds"; "All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror"; and "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq." His Web site is www.stephenkinzer.com.