Ryszard Kapuściński
Journalist, writer and historian (1932 - 2007) Warsaw, Poland

Kapuściński witnessed 27 revolutions, served on 12 war fronts, and was sentenced to execution on four occasions. Born in Belarus, he had a difficult childhood marked by economic hardships and didn't read a single book until the age of 12. He earned a degree in history, but his vocation as a reporter soon led him to work as a correspondent, witnessing firsthand events that have shaped history, such as the decolonization and independence of the Third World, the coup d'état in Chile, and the Iranian revolution. During his travels, he wrote 19 books, among which Ebony stands out, recounting his experiences in Africa. Kapuscinski's work is characterized by the combination of exhaustive documentation and a profound knowledge of countries and their inhabitants. His extraordinary capacity for analyzing historical and political events makes his books an ingenious union of journalism, history, and philosophy.