"André Vltchek has compiled a stunning record in evoking the reality of the contemporary world, not as perceived through the distorting prisms of power and privilege, but as lived by the myriad victims. He has also not failed to trace the painful – and particularly for the West, shameful – realities to their historical roots. In this work, Vltchek extends his penetrating gaze to a lovely, desecrated, almost forgotten vast area of the world, Oceania, which he shows to be “a microcosm of almost all major problems faced by our planet. He brings to light the strength and courage of the people, and their achievements, and explores the hopes for decent recovery and survival if the powerful can allow themselves to comprehend what they have done, and to accept the responsibility of actually protecting their victims instead of mouthing comforting and self-serving slogans." – Noam Chomsky
Andre Vltchek
Raised in Central Europe; a naturalized US citizen. Novelist, poet, political novelist, journalist, photographer and filmmaker, he has covered dozens of war zones from Bosnia and Peru to Sri Lanka and East Timor. He is the author of a novel Nalezeny, published in Czech. Point of No Return is his first work of fiction written in English. Other works include a book of political nonfiction Western Terror: From Potosi to Baghdad; the plays Ghosts of Valparaiso and Conversations with James, translated into several languages; and with Rossie Indira, a book of conversations with the foremost Southeast Asian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Exile. Non-fiction book Oceania is a result of his five years work in Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia and a damning attack against neo-colonialism in the Pacific. He has collaborated with UNESCO in Vietnam, Africa and Oceania through various publications. Presently he is finishing writing his novel Winter Journey and non-fiction book about the political situation in post New Order Indonesia. He writes and photographs for several publications worldwide, corporate and progressive, including Z Magazine, Newsweek, Asia Times, China Daily, Irish Times and Japan Focus. He produced the feature length documentary film about the Indonesian massacres in 1965 - Terlena - Breaking of The Nation, and he is in the process of directing and producing several new documentaries in Asia, Africa, and Oceania. His photos are printed by many publications all over the world, are exhibited at The British Museum. He frequently speaks at major universities, including Columbia, Cornell, Cambridge, Hong Kong, and Melbourne. Cofounder and Coeditor of Mainstay Press and Liberation Lit, he presently lives in Asia and Africa.Andre's website: http://andrevltchek.weebly.com