W
L
GEORGE ALAGIAH’S INSPIRING TALK
AT BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL
Birkenhead School and Linghams Booksellers in
Heswall, recently welcomed the multi award winning
journalist and presenter of BBC News at Six, George
Alagiah to promote his debut political thriller ‘The
Burning Land’.
George worked for ten years as a foreign correspondent
at the forefront of world changing events including 9/11
attacks on New York, the genocide in Rwanda, civil wars
in Liberia, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone, and Nelson
Mandela’s presidency. In 2008 he was awarded an OBE for
services to journalism.
In front of over 140 guests, George read extracts from his
new novel and explained the inspiration for his characters
and the story. He delved into how he developed his
characters during the writing process. The book is set in
South Africa, a country that George has a strong affinity
towards and lived in for four years. George stressed the key
theme of his novel, was the idea of a birth right and how
people are inherently connected to the “land, ground and
soil” of where they live and were born. He spoke of how it
was the very land that has caused and continues to cause
people to resort to violence, when the land is disputed over.
George spoke of a defining moment in his career when he
met Nelson Mandela. A key message that Mandela told
him during this interview was how his imprisonment had
taught him to “think through his brain and not through his
blood”. George hopes that his book echoes this message.
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During the question and answer session George gave great
insight into his years as a foreign correspondent which
range from moving stories of farmers still holding out
hope for the prospect of fertile soil during the third year
of a drought, to heart-breaking stories of African mothers
having to choose which of their children they would feed
due to their poverty. George also spoke about his extreme
exposure to violence and how he was confronted by a
young child holding a Kalashnikov rifle which particularly
affected him.
Despite all of the harrowing and tragic events George has
witnessed throughout his career, he still believes in the
goodness of the human spirit and hopes that his book will
be one of optimism.
George Alagiah is the latest in a number of high-profile
speakers who have recently visited the School as part of
the School's Inspiring Talks Series. Recent guests have
included: TV presenter and broadcaster, Kate Humble,
author and former MP, Jeffrey Archer, First Admiral Sea
Lord Sir Philip Jones and former England Rugby Union
player, Graham Rowntree.
On Friday 4th October, the School is welcoming author
Jojo Moyes to showcase her new novel ‘The Giver of Stars’,
in conjunction with Linghams and tickets are available for
this public event through Linghams by calling 0151 342
7290 or online at www.linghams.co.uk.