Pre-order

Bad News

Name: Bad News
Brand: Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
SKU: 9781917092807
Price: 29.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

Last Journalists in a Dictatorship

By Anjan Sundaram

0.0 (0 reviews)

3.91

( 531 ratings, 94 reviews)

Brief Description

A superb exposé . . . a desolate work, taut prose describing the stifling atmosphere of a nation trapped in fear. Guardian This memoir is the extraordinary account of the battle for free speech in Rwanda. Following both reporters who stayed in the country under threat... Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$29⁹⁹

Pre-order

Releases 1^st December 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order "Bad News" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

Bad News

$29⁹⁹

BOARD GAMES 23 Oct 2026

The Team's Long Weekend Reading

With the long weekend upon us, the team is hopefully getting some time in the...

AMELIA'S CORNER 23 Oct 2026

What Actually Makes a Jigsaw Puzzle Difficult?

Does more pieces always mean a harder puzzle? Not necessarily! After Dylan surprised me by...

A Court of Splintered Harmony: How to Get Your Copy on Release Day

A Court of Splintered Harmony is almost here, and we have some exciting news for...

ACOTAR 22 Oct 2026

The ACOTAR Countdown Is On, But We Need to Talk…

Last week, things started taking a dark turn. The excitement surrounding the release was suddenly...

GRAPHIC NOVEL 22 Oct 2026

Pick up a Graphic Novel for Halloween

Wanting something different for spooky season? Try a horror themed graphic novel! Lizzy has rounded...

Award-winning journalist Anjan Sundaram recounts the fight to keep journalistic integrity alive in Rwanda between 2009-2013, as President Paul Kagame increasingly restricted free speech.

Description

A superb exposé . . . a desolate work, taut prose describing the stifling atmosphere of a nation trapped in fear. Guardian

This memoir is the extraordinary account of the battle for free speech in Rwanda. Following both reporters who stayed in the country under threat of torture and death, and those writing from exile, Bad News traces a band of journalists committed to exposing the injustices of President Paul Kagame's regime.

It is a story of surveillance; of newspapers being shut down; of corrupted elections; and of history being rewritten; but also, and above all, a story of great courage. Sundaram's gripping memoir tells the true story of the fight to make explosions heard in the face of powerful forces.

A chilling and valuable account of the conditions inside Rwanda. Sunday Herald

Powerful and shocking. Sunday Times

He feels deeply and expresses himself richly . . . a powerful evocation of the foreign correspondent's experience. The Times

A chilling chronicle of the creeping totalitarianism taking hold in Rwanda that is as disturbing as it is unforgettable. Jon Lee Anderson

Nothing less than the best book written about Rwanda by an outsider, a massively important contribution to understanding what is one of Africa's most important, inscrutable, regimes. Richard Poplak

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781917092807

Publisher: Daunt Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 August 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Daunt Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 232

Collections

Anjan Sundaram Arts & Culture Biography & Memoir Education & Reference Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Politics & Current Affairs Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date

About the Author

Anjan Sundaram is an award-winning journalist who has reported from Africa and the Middle East for the New York Times and the Associated Press. His writing has also appeared in Foreign Policy, Fortune, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Telegraph, Guardian and the International Herald Tribune. He has been interviewed by the BBC World Service and Radio France Internationale for his analysis of the conflict in Congo. He received a Reuters journalism award in 2006 for his reporting on Pygmy tribes in Congo's rain forest. He currently lives in Kigali, Rwanda, with his wife.

Also by Anjan Sundaram

View all

Pre-order

Stringer

Written with startling beauty and acuity, Stringer is an account of a year and a half that Anjan Sundaram spent in the Congo working on the bottom rung of the Associated Press. It was an intense period that would take him deep into the shadowy city of Kinshasa, to the dense rainforests that still evoke Conrad's vision, and to the...

By Anjan Sundaram

Paperback

$29⁹⁹

Pre-order
Out 1 Dec 2026

More from Arts & Culture

View all

Dylan's Pick

Bold Types

A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...

By Jane Ussher

Hardback

$59⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$70⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
New Release

I’ll Believe in Anything

From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes I’ll Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll...

By Jacob Tierney

Hardback

$54⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$60⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
On Sale
16% off
New Release

Shirl's Pick

Home Again

Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...

By Jon Toogood

Paperback

$27⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$39⁹⁹~~

(1)

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
On Sale
20% off

The Odyssey

Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....

By Homer

Paperback

$24⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$35⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
On Sale
21% off

The Iliad

When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...

By Homer

Paperback

$26⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$37⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
On Sale
20% off

Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook

Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...

By Monique Fiso

Hardback

$36⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$52⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
New Release

A Life in Lyrics

Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...

By Freddie Mercury

Hardback

$50⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$65⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
New Release

Birdlands

A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...

By Edin Whitehead

Hardback

$41⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$50⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
On Sale
21% off

This Angry Pen of Mine

This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...

By Layne Staley

Hardback

$58⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$89⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
The Artist's Way

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...

By Julia Cameron

Paperback

$37⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$45⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
New Release

Beautiful Chaos

Featuring five exclusive new poems, this stunning foil-embossed hardback edition is a collector's item and a gorgeous gift. The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller. Selected poems on motherhood from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'Reading Jess's poems makes me feel like she's somehow reached into my own personal reflections and articulated them in a way I never could.' –...

By Jessica Urlichs

Hardback

$32⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$40⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday
New Release

Split Enz

'My favourite band. Ever! And certainly the best dressed.' Sam Neill Split Enz were never designed to fit. Emerging from art school mischief in early-1970s New Zealand, they turned pop into surreal theatre: costume, character and melody colliding in a rock band that refused to behave like one. At the centre of that vision was Noel Crombie—percussionist, performer and the...

By Michael Dwyer and Noel Crombie

Hardback

$51⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$65⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships Tuesday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.