Des fantômes dépêchés (Ghosts Dispatched) from Cambodia: Tiziano Terzani's uncompromising view of a little-known genocide

‘Ghosts from Cambodia’ offers a unique and poignant insight into Cambodia's tragic history through the eyes of Tiziano Terzani, an iconic Italian reporter.

A collection of articles written between 1973 and 1996, this book provides a rigorous and detailed account of the massacres perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge, from the civil war to Pol Pot's seizure of power, followed by the years of Vietnamese occupation and UN trusteeship that followed

A collection of articles written between 1973 and 1996, this book provides a rigorous and detailed account of the massacres perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge, from the civil war to Pol Pot's seizure of power, followed by the years of Vietnamese occupation and UN trusteeship.

This powerful text reveals the making of journalism in a context of war and ideological disillusionment. Terzani, initially optimistic and carried along by the idea of liberation, was gradually confronted with the reality of a peasant population plunged into a nightmarish nightmare that culminated in one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. His first-hand account helps us understand how the world long misunderstood or misinterpreted what was happening in Cambodia.

Through his dispatches, the reader follows the evolution of a passionate reporter who abandons his initial beliefs to better grasp the complexity and pain of a wounded nation. Exclusive interviews, notably with King Norodom Sihanouk and Deputy Prime Minister Ieng Sary, enrich this account and lend political depth to this eyewitness account.

More than just a historical account, ‘Ghosts’ is also an inner journey. Terzani explores the limits of ideology and outlines the shift that led him to profound political and personal questioning.

With its elegant style, journalistic rigour and rare humanity, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the scars of Cambodia and the lessons that its painful past still imposes today.

‘Ghosts from Cambodia’ is therefore more than a collection of articles: it is the vibrant testimony of a man and a people facing the unbearable shadows of history.

This book is published by Intervalles, translated from Italian by Cécile Petit, and prefaced by Angèla Terzani, the author's wife, ensuring a faithful and respectful approach to this major work.

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