A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS CHOICE
A powerful, unflinching portrait of a generation fighting for change in Iran, Afghanistan, and Ukraine
Salas dispatches are as immersive and original as they are anthropologically probing... [ They] come alive in ways that ordinary newspaper journalism rarely does.The New York Times Book Review
In The Fire, acclaimed journalist Cecilia Sala takes readers on a gripping journey through some of the worlds most volatile regions, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. Through the eyes of people like Kateryna, a Ukrainian soldier; Assim, an Iranian student at the forefront of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests; Nabila, a queer Muslim kickboxing champion; and Zarifa, a political activist in Afghanistan, Sala offers an intimate portrayal of those fighting for a better life.
By immersing herself in their daily lives and political battles, Sala crafts a poignant narrative that captures the human dimension of some of the worlds most intense conflicts. The Fire is a testament to the courage of a generation at the forefront of global change.
Arvustused
"Marie Colvin... used to say that her calling was to write about humanity in extremis. As Sala makes clear in The Fire... she is a worthy successor to that noble pursuit. Her dispatches are as immersive and original as they are anthropologically probing... Sala intersperses these fascinating mini-profiles with facts about life in the countries she visits that make them come alive in ways that ordinary newspaper journalism rarely does." * The New York Times Book Review * In steady, unblinking prose, Cecilia Sala paints a sweeping portrait of young activists fighting for freedom around the world. Drawing on interviews, historical analysis and firsthand accounts, The Fire is the perfect book for anyone seeking inspiration and guidance from those at the front lines of global conflict. * Ms Magazine * "Sala pulls off a tricky feat, keeping the page count extremely reasonable while creating a book that feels thoroughly researched and reported. Fire is a whirlwind trip through three countries that gets to the heart of what matters." * Shelf Awareness * "The Fire centers on the stories of the young people Sala meets on her fearless reporting trips around the world. A Ukrainian soldier, an Iranian protestor, an Afghan activistthose risking their lives for political change, in essence. The archetype of the globetrotting reporter hopping from warzone to warzone is alive and well." * GQ, A Most Anticipated Book * A choral reportage that starts from personal stories and broadens the story to the geopolitical context. * Rivista Blam * The only hope left lies with the younger generations; they are the only ones who still have a vision and can recount the story of our planet without prejudices. Cecilia Sala does precisely that, with great skill and passion, in this extraordinary book. * Io Donna *
Cecilia Sala is a journalist, war correspondent, and podcaster. Her reporting has appeared in LEspresso, Vanity Fair, and Wired. She has covered crises in Venezuela, protests in Chile, Iran, the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021, and the war in Ukraine. On December 19, 2024, she was arrested in Tehran by the Iranian regime and held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, where she remained for three weeks before being released. Soon after been freed, she returned to reporting from the field, continuing to cover global conflicts and political upheavals.
Oonagh Stransky has been a translator of Italian literature for over 20 years. Some of the writers whose work she has brought into English include Pier Paolo Pasolini, Carlo Lucarelli, Giuseppe Pontiggia, and Roberto Saviano. Her translation of Domenico Starnones The House on Via Gemito was longlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize as well as the American Literary Translators Association 2024 Italian Prose in Translation Award. She currently lives in Italy.
