[An] exceptionally fine portrait of the man and his judgment. . . . [Cruvellier] is an elegant, understated writer, with a keen and rigorous intellect, and a wry, quiet wit.” — Philip Gourevitch, author of We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families, The New Yorker
“A brilliant study in the mind of a zealous servant to a maniacal ideology.” — George Packer in The New Yorker
“Cruvellier, who has reported on some of the world’s most notorious war crimes, recounts the trial of Duch, the director of the Khmer Rouge’s S-21 prison, where thousands of people were killed. His exhaustive account includes a sly commentary on the whims and limits of the international justice system.” — New York Times Paperback Row
“[The Master of Confessions is] a sobering story of a horrifying episode in recent history, rich in detail and thoroughly-researched. ... an unforgettable, overwhelming, exploration of a tragic period which shouldn’t be forgotten or overlooked.” — Publishers Weekly
“[A] fascinating glimpse into history and the international tribunal system. . . . For a history buff this is a must read, for the average individual it is interesting, and for the person willing to do some soul searching the experience of this book can be profound.” — Portland Book Review
“Superbly memorable. With chilling clarity, a veteran international journalist delineates the totalitarian ideology and horrific crimes of the leaders of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. Cruvellier is an extremely articulate and compassionate observer.” — Kirkus (Starred Review)
“An exceptional, infinitely troubling work, nothing escapes Thierry Cruvellier’s attention - neither the public’s reactions, nor the court’s idiosyncrasies, the clashes between foreign and Cambodian lawyers, or each side’s motivations and weaknesses.” — Le Point
“A gripping eye-witness account. Thierry Cruvellier’s book is wonderful. Against the backdrop of modern Cambodia, The Master of Confessions recounts the striking story of Duch’s trial, giving voice to both the victims’ horrifying stories and the torturer’s no less unbearable explanation.” — Télérama
“A solemn and rigorous fresco, which will open the eyes of any honest man moved by genocide.” — Le Monde Diplomatique
“A meticulous observer of this unique trial, Cruvellier’s eye is both clinical and critical… A vivid picture of Cambodia caught in systemic slaughter by the Khmers Rouges.” — Libération
“You have to be talented, precise and infinitely patient to tell the story of a distant international trial - Thierry pulls off this feat masterly… It’s the torturer’s own account that draws us into this book - The Master of Confessions is fascinating.” — Le Temps
“An unforgettable book. An impressive, thorough, and well-written depiction of the trial and its audience from the perspective of an outside observer, who through the cathartic experience of watching the trial reveals that ‘torturers’ are not so different from ourselves.” — La Croix
“Thierry Cruvellier’s The Master of Confessions is a book everyone should throw themselves into. The great reporter delivers a striking account of this lengthy trial. With rare talent, he manages to sketch out the dozen or so protagonists in this tragic show. ” — Lire
“An exceptional narrative, which makes this book so much more than just an eyewitness account.” — France Info
“Analytical, thorough and astute, Cruvellier ... steps back and lets his reporting do the talking. … A work of exceptional quality.” — Le Monde
“... Thierry Cruvellier has an unrivalled knowledge of international tribunals. [... Cruvellier] put[s] us in the position of impartial, intelligent spectators, by looking upon these trials in a way that is both distanced and engaged.” — France Culture
“A brilliant blend of journalism and deeper reflection, Cruvellier’s work - a literary accomplishment - maintains a surprising balance between distance and proximity, objectivity and compassion, fact and experience.” — La Quinzaine Littéraire
“...With his supple intelligence and bitingly funny understanding, [Cruvellier] shares and decodes the complexities of the trial and its characters. He pinpoints the crucial moments for those who wish to better understand the way that trials of crimes against humanity work.” — Libération (cambodge.blogs.liberation.fr)
A brilliant study in the mind of a zealous servant to a maniacal ideology.
George Packer in The New Yorker
A gripping eye-witness account. Thierry Cruvellier’s book is wonderful. Against the backdrop of modern Cambodia, The Master of Confessions recounts the striking story of Duch’s trial, giving voice to both the victims’ horrifying stories and the torturer’s no less unbearable explanation.
An exceptional, infinitely troubling work, nothing escapes Thierry Cruvellier’s attention - neither the public’s reactions, nor the court’s idiosyncrasies, the clashes between foreign and Cambodian lawyers, or each side’s motivations and weaknesses.
A meticulous observer of this unique trial, Cruvellier’s eye is both clinical and critical… A vivid picture of Cambodia caught in systemic slaughter by the Khmers Rouges.
A solemn and rigorous fresco, which will open the eyes of any honest man moved by genocide.
Cruvellier, who has reported on some of the world’s most notorious war crimes, recounts the trial of Duch, the director of the Khmer Rouge’s S-21 prison, where thousands of people were killed. His exhaustive account includes a sly commentary on the whims and limits of the international justice system.
New York Times Paperback Row
[An] exceptionally fine portrait of the man and his judgment. . . . [Cruvellier] is an elegant, understated writer, with a keen and rigorous intellect, and a wry, quiet wit.
[A] fascinating glimpse into history and the international tribunal system. . . . For a history buff this is a must read, for the average individual it is interesting, and for the person willing to do some soul searching the experience of this book can be profound.
An exceptional narrative, which makes this book so much more than just an eyewitness account.
... Thierry Cruvellier has an unrivalled knowledge of international tribunals. [... Cruvellier] put[s] us in the position of impartial, intelligent spectators, by looking upon these trials in a way that is both distanced and engaged.
Thierry Cruvellier’s The Master of Confessions is a book everyone should throw themselves into. The great reporter delivers a striking account of this lengthy trial. With rare talent, he manages to sketch out the dozen or so protagonists in this tragic show.
...With his supple intelligence and bitingly funny understanding, [Cruvellier] shares and decodes the complexities of the trial and its characters. He pinpoints the crucial moments for those who wish to better understand the way that trials of crimes against humanity work.
Libération (cambodge.blogs.liberation.fr)
Analytical, thorough and astute, Cruvellier ... steps back and lets his reporting do the talking. … A work of exceptional quality.
A brilliant blend of journalism and deeper reflection, Cruvellier’s work - a literary accomplishment - maintains a surprising balance between distance and proximity, objectivity and compassion, fact and experience.
An unforgettable book. An impressive, thorough, and well-written depiction of the trial and its audience from the perspective of an outside observer, who through the cathartic experience of watching the trial reveals that ‘torturers’ are not so different from ourselves.
You have to be talented, precise and infinitely patient to tell the story of a distant international trial - Thierry pulls off this feat masterly… It’s the torturer’s own account that draws us into this book - The Master of Confessions is fascinating.
A gripping eye-witness account. Thierry Cruvellier’s book is wonderful. Against the backdrop of modern Cambodia, The Master of Confessions recounts the striking story of Duch’s trial, giving voice to both the victims’ horrifying stories and the torturer’s no less unbearable explanation.
A brilliant blend of journalism and deeper reflection, Cruvellier’s work - a literary accomplishment - maintains a surprising balance between distance and proximity, objectivity and compassion, fact and experience.
...With his supple intelligence and bitingly funny understanding, [Cruvellier] shares and decodes the complexities of the trial and its characters. He pinpoints the crucial moments for those who wish to better understand the way that trials of crimes against humanity work.
Libération (cambodge.blogs.liberation.fr)
A meticulous observer of this unique trial, Cruvellier’s eye is both clinical and critical… A vivid picture of Cambodia caught in systemic slaughter by the Khmers Rouges.
A gripping eye-witness account. Thierry Cruvellier’s book is wonderful. Against the backdrop of modern Cambodia, The Master of Confessions recounts the striking story of Duch’s trial, giving voice to both the victims’ horrifying stories and the torturer’s no less unbearable explanation.
...With his supple intelligence and bitingly funny understanding, [Cruvellier] shares and decodes the complexities of the trial and its characters. He pinpoints the crucial moments for those who wish to better understand the way that trials of crimes against humanity work.
Liberation (cambodge.blogs.liberation.fr)
A meticulous observer of this unique trial, Cruvellier’s eye is both clinical and critical… A vivid picture of Cambodia caught in systemic slaughter by the Khmers Rouges.
A brilliant blend of journalism and deeper reflection, Cruvellier’s work - a literary accomplishment - maintains a surprising balance between distance and proximity, objectivity and compassion, fact and experience.
11/01/2013
★ 2014-01-29Court of Remorse , 2010), Cruvellier likewise attended the arduous eight-month Khmer Rouge Tribunal in 2009 of the notorious head of the S-21 "death mill" in Phnom Penh, Kaing Guek Eav, aka Duch. Duch managed the prison, formerly a high school, between 1975 and 1979, and he was tasked with interrogating, eliciting confessions by torture and "smashing" the victim—the verb preferred by the court. A meticulous, methodical former math teacher and a loyal Khmer party member, Duch, then in his mid-30s, was the "perfect fit for the job" of interrogator. The pride he took in his work was reflected in the careful records he diligently kept and did not destroy before he fled upon the invasion of the Vietnamese in early 1979. The tens of thousands of his victims (which included children)—Duch constantly corrected the witnesses' estimates—were duly photographed upon entering the prison, crammed in rooms, ill-fed and forced to confess by horrendous methods, including electric shocks, with the directions all annotated in his neat handwriting. Duch created the killing fields at Choeung Ek, the "lowly" act of actual murder relegated to his underlings. A dedicated Maoist, Duch directed his staff on the key elements of maintaining secrecy, fear and obedience. Former guards and victims of Khmer atrocities testified over many months, some more convincing than others; there were only a handful of living S-21 victims—e.g., two artists who were saved only due to the fact that they could make portraits of Pol Pot. The author's portrait of the cool, contrite and calculating Duch is superbly memorable. Cruvellier is an extremely articulate and compassionate observer to a country and its people plunged through the rings of hell.
