New Book On Daphne Caruana Galizia Reveals The Woman Behind The Pen
A book compiled by friends, journalists and academics promises to give an insight into the life of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and the motivations behind her work.
The book, adequately titled Invicta (undefeated), is edited by Joseph Anthony Debono and The Shift journalist Caroline Muscat – who was a personal friend of Caruana Galizia.
“Daphne, though she had a very prominent voice, was paradoxically a very shy person,” Debono said. “Very few people knew the woman behind the pen. And she suffered from extreme dehumanisation over the years, to the extent that what most people came to hear about her was distorted through the attacks of her enemies.”
“At the end of the day, a person who could rattle a government enough to call an election a year earlier than due is a person of historic significance. This book, therefore, offers the general public the opportunity of getting to know the person behind the pen, of learning more about her, about her concerns and about her methods. Only then can a fair assessment be made.”
“It has been said that if you want to cure the situation, it is useless reacting from prejudice, you need understanding. But to understand, you need to see, and you cannot see if you’re prejudiced. It is our hope that if you read this book, you will come to see the good, the bad, and the ugly, not only in Daphne, but even in Malta and perhaps in yourself. Only then, can we start to pick up the pieces and build a better country.”
In the books, a number of journalists – including Jonathan Freedland and Luke Harding from The Guardian – examine issues related to the current state of journalism and to Daphne’s contribution to the industry.
“If you want to cure the situation, it is useless reacting from prejudice, you need understanding”
Joseph Anthony Debono
The book includes a contribution from The Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland
“In her field, she broke ground as a woman who shrugged off convention and dependence to forger her own rollercoaster ride through the profession,” Debono said. “Daphne’s murder was no ordinary murder. It was the murder of a hugely powerful and influential voice, the voice of a woman who refused to live a quiet, conventional life, seeking approval and acceptance. She stood forth to shake the island to its core, which she did, earning admiration and hatred in equal quantities.”
“The aftermath of this murder has left a cloud of unease over that island. And to dispel that unease, to cure the situation, it is useless reacting from prejudice, you need understanding. But to understand, you need to see, and you cannot see if you’re prejudiced. If you read this book, you will gain more understanding of Daphne and the underlying issues. Then, perhaps, you may be able to come to a fairer judgement than you would otherwise have done.”
The book is not a commercial venture and all contributors gave their time and venture for free. All profits for the book will go to a cause chosen by the Caruana Galizia family.
A copy of the book may be pre-ordered by sending an email to: [email protected] The deadline is 30 November. Pre-orders are available at the discounted price of €30; €40 after publication.
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