"A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide"A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide
Score Modern
What it's about
Samantha Power, then a young journalist and later U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, asks why the United States has so often failed to stop genocide. She follows the twentieth century's genocides in turn: the Armenians, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Saddam Hussein's campaign against Iraq's Kurds, Bosnia, Rwanda and Kosovo. In each case, she shows what American officials knew and why they chose not to act, and tells the stories of the few who tried.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. It's a powerful, carefully reported argument that influenced a generation of policymakers.
You'll love it if you liked
East West Street
Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11Good to know
It's long and includes descriptions of mass atrocities. Each section can be read on its own.
By the numbers
- Readers87 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #29 of the 198 history books we rank
- #94 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #171 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Dark
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Quick answers
Is "A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. It ranks #171 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is "A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide about?
Samantha Power, then a young journalist and later U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, asks why the United States has so often failed to stop genocide. She follows the twentieth century's genocides in turn: the Armenians, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Saddam Hussein's campaign against Iraq's Kurds, Bosnia, Rwanda and Kosovo. In each case, she shows what American officials knew and why they chose not to act, and tells the stories of the few who tried.
How long does it take to read "A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide?
About 17 hours (690 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has "A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (2003); NBCC Award (Nonfiction) winner (2002).
What should I read after "A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide?
If you liked it, try East West Street by Philippe Sands, Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick or The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright.