Candid Intent: An Odyssey From The Beeb To Baghdad
This debut memoir hailed by the Kirkus Reviews as “a powerful account of a journalist’s experiences in war-torn Iraq” is a 2023 commemoration of the 20 years since the Bush Administration launched the “shock-and-awe campaign” that marked the start of the Iraq War. Venuste’s “deeply personal perspective offers keen insights absent from other reflections on the controversial war.”
The Full Synopsis
It is 2003, and the diplomatic handwringing at the UN has yielded nothing. The heat in the Arabian Gulf is peaking, and recourse to violence against Saddam Hussein is inevitable. War is coming.
At the BBC World Service’s headquarters in London, up-and-coming broadcaster Venuste Nshimiyimana has long expected the call of duty. But when the email confirming his deployment hits his terminal, it lands an unexpected punch in his gut.
The Rwandan native is no stranger to the horrors of war and large- scale violence. Overnight, Baghdad has become a trigger word for a barely buried tragedy. Tough. But the die is cast. And soon, with the Middle East looming, more than unsettled memories of the Genocide weighs on the broadcaster.
In Candid Intent, Nshimiyimana recounts his pivotal journey from the cutthroat office politics of Newsroom London to the smouldering rubble of war-torn Baghdad. More than a tale of one man’s conquest over his inner ghosts, this insider’s masterclass on journalism is also an adventurous insight into the human condition.
Through the lens of tragedy, resilience, kindness, and tolerance, Nshimiyimana—in a unique and clear voice—dissects the intricate tapestry of our shared humanity, revealing the mess at our core while celebrating the human spirit’s capacity for ultimate triumph.
Meet The Author of "Candid Intent"
Venuste Nshimiyimana is a Rwandan-born British broadcaster with over 30 years of experience in international broadcasting.
The current staffer of the Washington-based VOA had previously served as TV Editor at the BBC where he spent 20 years in various management and editorial positions.
One of his greatest assets as broadcaster is his gift for languages: in addition to French and English, Venuste speaks Swahili and Kinyarwanda, and was often deployed by his former BBC bosses as “four reporters rolled into one.”
That was the case in 2003, when he was assigned to the Middle East as part of the BBC’s coverage of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Beyond broadcasting, Venuste is a mentor and a philanthropist. He is the co-founder of the Acape Trust, which supports underprivileged children
in Rwanda. He is Civil Humanitarian Diplomat for Jethro International, and member of The Soul of Europe.
Venuste is dedicated to promoting peace and education for all. He believe that—with the right inspiration—everyone of us can make a positive difference in the world.A Memoir.
The Kirkus Reviews’ Verdict: Get It
