Ukraine: Remember also me: Testimonies from the War

As Jeremy Bowen says in a review quoted in this book – ‘His world shows the power of paper and ink in the digital age’. In this book, he visited Ukraine in March 2022 and again in March / April 2023 to interview people of all ages and circumstances to hear their testimonies of community, of tragedy and of perseverance. It is particularly powerful and emotionally charged to read the follow-up interviews one year later to see how their circumstances have changed, or not, during this time. His interviews and drawings are sensitive and caring, very empathetic and non-judgmental. He says that he was repeatedly allowed access to places and people, for example those sheltering in the underground stations, because he was not taking photographs but drawing situations and people.

The subtitle of the book ‘Remember also me’ is a line from the poem “My Testament’ by Taras Shevchenko, written in 1845 and reprinted in full in the book.

Butler quotes one of his interviewees: ‘We dream of peace, freedom and the joy of being without war’. This underpins the stories he tells. This is war not from a military perspective but from the perspective of individual people, who may or may not be in the military, to examine their experiences and the impact on their lives. Injured children, military personnel, the elderly, all have a story of personal courage and personal bravery.

The book contains a very useful map to show the Russian insurgence and the cities. George Butler’s own bravery is evident too in visiting and spending time in a war zone.

This is a powerful and important book.