The book consists of statements by this master of reportage, statements devoted to topics like traveling, his creative method, and the functions of the public media. The writer himself accepted this portrait of himself that emerged from his own story: that of a man who is a voyager, artist, insightful commentator of the world that surrounds us.
When I wrote 'Empire, says Kapuściński, I used maybe ten percent of the material I had gathered. And I remain full of these stories that I never wrote down...
This is almost a personal book. Ryszard Kapuściński talks about himself, his passion for traveling, the singular nature of his profession, the need to put one's life at risk in the name of higher values. He speaks to the loneliness and fear that invariably accompany reporters, the labor of writing, and the shackles of fame. 'Autoportret reportera' / 'A Reporter's Self-Portrait' also contains simple, important words - about the media, the contemporary world, and us. 'A Reporter's Self-Portrait' is like the highest possible quality textbook on journalism. (Artur Mrozowski, SIW Znak)
- Ryszard Kapuściński
Autoportret reportera / A Reporter's Self-Portrait
SIW Znak, Kraków 2003
128 x 203, 148 pages, hardcover
ISBN 83-240-0347-9