Taking a Stand: The Evolution of Human Rights

M%C3%A9ndez, a torture victim turned U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, describes the progression of human rights legislation in the 20th century in this ambitious but uneven survey that ends up reading like an extended public service announcement for the U.N.'s work in preventing genocide and human rights violations. The narrative oscillates haphazardly between the author's experience with torture%E2%80%94he was imprisoned for more than a year during Argentina's "dirty war"%E2%80%94and a contemporary history of political violence from China to Guant%C3%A1namo Bay, drawing attention to the efforts to overturn such practices as unlawful detentions and disappearances. The book is organized in lecture format with chapters focused on individual aspects of the human rights cause, the psychological damage of having friends and relatives "disappeared," and the efficacy of sanctions in punishing offending governments. Unfortunately, poor organization means that themes are repeated and rehashed. While M%C3%A9ndez the individual and activist inspires, and his vividly recounted examples of human rights violations convey the urgency of the cause, his message wants clearer articulation and a sounder structure. (Oct.)