UAE | Heritage and Culture

Fisk's latest offering - The Age of the Warrior

Man of war Robert Fisk's latest offering - The Age of the Warrior & Selected Writings - is a mild deviation from his hard-hitting narratives.

  • By Vinita Bharadwaj, Gulf News Report
  • Published: 00:09 May 8, 2008
  • Tabloid

  • The book contains about 115 comment pieces from Fisk's illustrious career.
  • Image Credit: Supplied

It's not often that the critically acclaimed journalist Robert Fisk describes his book as "fun". Or the process, for that matter.

Fisk, who is a best-selling author and journalist based in Beirut as Middle East correspondent of The Independent, says his latest book, The Age of the Warrior – Selected Writings was an interesting experience as it resulted in a bit of self-realisation.

"I had no idea how obsessed with trains and railways I really am," Fisk told tabloid! from Beirut, ahead of his book-signing in the UAE.

The book, which contains about 115 comment pieces from Fisk's illustrious career, is repeatedly described by the author using a Forrest Gumpism. "It's really like a chocolate box."

When in New York to receive an award for The Great War of Civilisation it was suggested to him that a publisher was keen on putting together a collection of his writings.

When Fisk mentioned the idea to his UK publishers, they too warmed to the idea and set him to the task of selecting pieces from his extensive portfolio.

"I knew what I wanted, the biggest problem really was when it came to sorting into subjects. I didn't think it was appropriate to limit it chronologically so on revisiting them, the categories emerged - family, death, adventure, Iraq, journalism, cinema, the Titanic, trains and so on," he explains.

Other than writing short prefaces to the sections, Fisk also corrected a few facts and added footnotes to his "predictions - particularly the ones that I got wrong!"

"It is definitely a personal collection. I call it my fun-in-between-books book," he adds.

For die-hard Fisk fans, who are used to his war narratives and hard-hitting commentary, it is a mild deviation from readings they're more familiar with, but he clarifies saying that he has added notes to pieces he believes might not resonate with his younger readers.

‘Not a war book'

"It's not a war book in the traditional sense, but I just got back from Ireland where the book sold 1,100 copies in 24 hours, so it's good to see that it's striking a chord with readers," he says.

Widely believed to be a private sort, Fisk admits he enjoys the experience of interacting with readers. "All journalists, I think, find it interesting to get a true sense of what people everywhere are thinking."

Politics in five questions

The same excitement Robert Fisk has about the latest book, however doesn't spill over into his observations on the political scenario in the Middle East.

What's your take on the current state of Middle East politics?

I think this is a dark and dangerous time for the Middle East. I've been here for 32 years. Back then the enemies of the West were the nationalists and the pro-Soviet regimes. Now the enemies are Islamists. It's not possible to work out the same deals with the Islamists that were made with the old enemies.

What exactly are your concerns regarding the attitudes towards the Middle East?

The West still doesn't realise what it's done. I'm surprised 9/11 didn't happen earlier. It worries me that Western leaders continue to refuse to understand the region.

When talking specifically about Lebanon, what are your thoughts? Will there be another war?

A civil war? No way. The Lebanese people have had enough and will not tolerate another civil war.

Looking at the US presidential elections and the most-talked about candidates, who do you think will bring about change in the Middle East?

The US elections won't make any difference. The only difference is that John McCain would be the first Western leader to have actually served in a war. It's outrageous the way our leadership sends off boys to die, when they've resorted to any and every means to avoid military service.

So, in your opinion, not even Barack Obama will make a difference?

I liked Barack Obama's book. It was a lovely book and it was great that he wrote it himself. He's a nice guy with independent thoughts.

Book signing

Robert Fisk will sign copies of his latest book, The Age of the Warrior – Selected Writings in the UAE on Saturday.

In Dubai: Jashanmal Bookstores, Mall of the Emirates, 11am – 1pm.

In Abu Dhabi: Jashanmal Bookstores, Abu Dhabi Mall, Level 3, 5pm – 7pm.

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