J. Malcolm Garcia Knihy

They bear labels instead of names—noncombatant, unintended victim, collateral damage. These are the blurred faces seen in news footage, left behind to cope amid the wreckage as soldiers, media, and profiteers move on. In this work, J. Malcolm Garcia reveals the people and pain behind the statistics, sharing stories of impoverished families in Cairo’s city of the dead, ordinary Syrians amid explosions, and others caught in enduring conflicts. Garcia describes his travels through hotspots in Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, presenting a series of personal essays that read like short stories. He exposes the chaos of war and the shortcomings of good intentions, tracing their impact on lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Kosovo, Chad, and Syria. Amidst the devastation, he uncovers remarkable resilience among those struggling to survive each day. With gritty detail gained from immersing himself in other cultures, Garcia shares his experiences—eating local food, drinking tea, and enduring oppressive heat. These narratives illustrate how a middle-class man from the Midwest, equipped with a social work degree, learned to engage with and embrace the cultures of conflict-ridden Third World countries, ultimately living to tell the tale.

Focusing on the struggles of individuals escaping violence in Honduras and the challenges faced by Mexican reporters covering gang conflicts, this book presents a poignant examination of resilience and the human spirit. Through diverse voices, it highlights the lives of families surviving on the fringes, emphasizing their courage and the vital need for connection amidst the harsh realities of life in Mexico and Central America. The narrative is shaped by themes of grief and anger, offering a sensitive portrayal of those enduring uncommon adversity.

"Collection of literary reportage from Afghanistan: stories that go unreported, the lives of people not usually considered newsworthy or important, people who struggle just to survive"

A debut novel by an award-winning journalist delves into the lives of individuals in a San Francisco homeless shelter and those who assist—or exploit—them. The narrative immerses readers in the growing homeless crisis in the U.S., focusing on powerful stories that highlight extreme poverty, destitution, and self-destruction. Tom, who manages a social services agency, strives to infuse humanity into his work, while Walter, a homeless man struggling with addiction, seeks to help others despite his own challenges. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel intimately portrays social workers navigating the complexities of finding shelter beds and dealing with federal programs, alongside homeless individuals battling addiction and striving for stable employment and housing. Drawing from the author's experiences as a social services worker in the 1980s and 1990s, the narrative brings to life the thoughts and struggles of combat veterans, addicts, sex workers, and the unemployed. The author transitioned from social services to journalism to share these poignant stories and the humanity of those he encountered. “There weren’t enough shelter beds, weren’t enough detoxes, weren’t enough jobs, weren’t enough anything for the people I wanted to help.” —Tom, social worker.