Celebrating One Year of Independence in South Sudan
When
Where
Ben McNally Books
Ben McNally Books and Freehand Books are pleased to welcome you to a reading celebrating one year of independence in South Sudan, featuring readings by authors Melanie Schnell and Dr. James Maskalyk. Admission is free of charge; refreshments will be served.
While the Sun is Above Us by Melanie SchnellFreehand Press  While The Sun Is Above Us takes readers deep into the extraordinary world of Sudan through the intertwined narratives of two women. In the midst of a bloody civil war, Adut is brutally captured and held as a slave for eight years. Sandra, fleeing her life in Canada, travels to South Sudan as an aid worker but soon finds herself unwittingly embroiled in a violent local conflict. When chance brings Adut and Sandra together in a brief but profound moment, their lives change forever. In captivating prose, Melanie Schnell offers imaginative insight into the lives of innocents in a land at war, rendering horrific experiences with exquisite clarity. While The Sun Is Above Us explores the immense power of the imagination, the human desire for connection, and the endurance of hope. |
Six Months in Sudan by James MaskalykAnchor Canada  In 2007 James Maskalyk set out for the contested border town of Abyei, Sudan, a doctor newly recruited by Médecins Sans Frontières, his days spent treating malnourished children, coping with a measles epidemic and watching for war. Worn thin by the struggle to meet overwhelming needs with few resources, he returned home six months later more affected by the experience, the people and the place, than he had anticipated. Six Months in Sudan is the story of the doctors, nurses and countless volunteers who leave their homes behind to ease the suffering of others, and it is the story of the people of Abyei who suffer its hardship because it is the only home they have. With great hope and insight, Maskalyk illuminates a distant place and chronicles the toll of war on one community, one man, and the cost of it to all of us. |