Synopses & Reviews
Sixty years ago, the United Nations took a moral stand against human rights crimes and adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a proclamation of thirty rights that belong to us all, starting memorably with Article 1: “All human beings are born free and equal.”
Now, an array of internationally acclaimed writers have chosen one of the thirty rights as the inspiration for a short story. Published in association with Amnesty International, the result is a mix of thoughtful, serious, funny, and thrilling stories that harness the power of literature to celebrate—and affirm—our shared humanity.
Synopsis
BESTSELLING AUTHORS bring a thought-provoking collection of short stories, each inspired by one of thirty human rights adopted by the United Nations and promoted by Amnesty International. The result is a mix of thoughtful, serious, funny, and thrilling stories that harness the power of literature to celebrate--and affirm--our shared humanity. Published in association with Amnesty International, an array of internationally acclaimed & award-winning writers remind us these fundamental freedoms - ratified in 1948 - are just as crucial to protect and uphold today as ever.
The United Nations took a moral stand against human rights crimes and adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a proclamation of thirty rights that belong to us all, starting memorably with Article 1: "All human beings are born free and equal." Amnesty International is one of several international organizations promoting UDHR. It is a world-leading grassroots human rights organization & a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people - no matter who they are or where they are.
Authors include: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kate Atkinson, Ishmael Beah, Paulo Coelho, Nadine Gordimer, Marina Lewycka, Henning Mankell, Yann Martel, Rohinton Minstry, David Mitchell, Walter Mosley, Joyce Carol Oates.
Synopsis
Inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), "Freedom" is an enthralling anthology of short stories with contributions by such authors as Joyce Carol Oates, Kate Atkinson, Walter Mosley, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and many others.
About the Author
Contributors:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie • Mohammed Naseehu Ali • Kate Allen • Gabriella Ambrosio • Kate Atkinson • Liana Badr • Ishmael Beah • Héctor Aguilar Camín • Amit Chaudhuri • Paulo Coelho • Vered Cohen-Barzilay • David Constantine • Ariel Dorfman • Helen Dunmore • Jon Fosse • Petina Gappah • Alan Garner • Nadine Gordimer • Juan Goytisolo • Patricia Grace • Richard Griffiths • Xiaolu Guo • Milton Hatoum • A. L. Kennedy • Olja Knezevic • Marina Lewycka • Henning Mankell • Yann Martel • James Meek • Rohinton Mistry • David Mitchell • Walter Mosley • Joyce Carol Oates • Alice Pung • Mahmoud Saeed • Ali Smith • Archbishop Desmond Tutu • Alexis Wright • Banana Yoshimoto
Table of Contents
Foreword Archbishop Desmond Tutu Vii
Foreword Vered Cohen-Barzilay X
Introduction Larry Cox Xiii
Patricia Grace Busy Lines 1
A. L. Kennedy The Effects of Good Government on the City 7
James Meek The Kind of Neighbor You Used To Have 18
Marina Lewycka Business Philosophy 37
Mohammed Naseehu Ali The Long Ride Back Home 42
Gabriella Ambrosio Sticko 55
Joyce Carol Oates Tetanus 63
Walter Mosley The Trial 81
David Mitchell Character Development 107
Ariel Dorfman Innocent Passage 117
Amit Chaudhuri Aniruddha: The Latest Installment 146
Petina Gappah An Incident At Lunchtime 153
Milton Hatoum Torn 165
Ali Smith The Go-Between 172
David Constantine Asylum 178
Jon Fosse Homecoming 190
Kate Atkinson The War On Women 195
Banana Yoshimoto A Special Boy 212
Alexis Wright Be Careful About Playing With the Path of Least Resistance 217
Helen Dunmore Where I Keep My Faith 229
Héctor Aguilar Camín Comrade Vadillo 235
Paulo Coelho In The Prison of Repose 261
Mahmoud Saeed Warriors of the Sky 274
Richard Griffiths The Obvious Candidate 289
Juan Goytisolo Mr. President . . . 299
Yann Martel The Moon Above His Head 303
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Sola 310
Nadine Gordimer Amnesty 315
Xiaolu Guo An Internet Baby 324
Alice Pung The Shed 330
Ishmael Beah ABC Antidote 340
Alan Garner Gray Wolf, Prince Jack, and The Firebird 351
Liana Badr March of the Dinosaurs 362
Rohinton Mistry The Scream 371
Olja Knezevic The Classroom 383
Epilogue: Henning Mankell Sofia 396
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 399
Contributors 405