The Optician of Lampedusa

Name: The Optician of Lampedusa
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9780141985220
Price: 19.0 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Emma Jane Kirby

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4.07

( 1,751 ratings, 224 reviews)

Summary

In The Optician of Lampedusa, a small-town optician from the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa goes about his daily life until a chance encounter on a boating excursion transforms his world. As he and his friends face a humanitarian crisis, they are compelled to question compassion, responsibility, and the impact of bearing witness to tragedy. This poignant true account captures the raw human spirit amidst a backdrop of turmoil and challenge.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you are drawn to stories of humanitarianism and profound personal encounters within contemporary issues. It reveals a deeply moving, true account of one man's life-altering experience in witnessing a migrant tragedy, providing an intimate perspective on human empathy and resilience. If you appreciate compelling narratives that offer insight into real-world crises, this memoir could resonate with you.

The Optician of Lampedusa

Description

The heartbreaking true story of an ordinary man whose life is changed forever by one of the greatest human tragedies of our time.

I can hardly begin to describe to you what I saw as our boat approached the source of that terrible noise. I hardly want to. You won't understand because you weren't there. You can't understand. You see, I thought I'd heard seagulls screeching. Seagulls fighting over a lucky catch. Birds. Just birds.

The Optician of Lampedusa lives a quiet life with his wife on a remote Mediterranean island. He has seen the headlines about shipwrecked migrants, noticed the reception centre, even crossed paths with the occasional lost soul. Yet it is only when, one sunny October morning, a relaxing boat trip with friends unexpectedly turns into a heartbreaking rescue mission, that he truly comes face to face with the human tragedy unfolding on his doorstep—and on all of our doorsteps.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Optician of Lampedusa by Emma Jane Kirby is praised for its poignant and gripping narrative, which brings to light the harrowing experiences of migrants and the moral dilemmas faced by ordinary individuals. Reviewers commend the book for its emotive storytelling, highlighting its ability to foster empathy and reflect on humanitarian issues, with the author's journalistic background enriching the descriptive and insightful portrayal of real-life events.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141985220

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 May 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 9.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 125g

Pages: 128

Collections

Biography & Memoir Education & Reference Emma Jane Kirby History & Military Non-Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Emma-Jane Kirby is a broadcast journalist who has reported extensively on international affairs, from Brussels to Afghanistan. She won the Bayeux-Calvados Award for War Correspondents for her report 'The Optician of Lampedusa', on which this book is based.