Ryszard Kapuscinski

Ryszard Kapuscinski, Poland’s most acclaimed foreign correspondent, was born in 1932. After graduating in history from Warsaw University, he was sent to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to report for Polish news, which began his lifelong fascination with the Third World. During his four decades reporting on Asia, Latin America and Africa, he befriended Che Guevara, Salvador Allende and Patrice Lumumba, witnessed twenty-seven coups and revolutions, and was sentenced to death four times. His last book, published by Penguin, was Travels with Herodotus (2006).

His previous books Shah of Shahs (about the Iranian revolution), The Emperor (about the fall of Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie), Imperium (about the fall of the Soviet Union) and The Soccer War (a compendium of reportage from the Third World) – have been translated into nineteen languages.

He died in January 2007.