Author: CARTY CARUSO

The most striking thing when reading through Testament is the wide breadth of locations and conflicts that are covered. The genuine nature of humanity shines through despite the suffering in these different conflicts. I found the spread framing of a car window to be the most visually engaging images throughout the entire book. I also should warn anyone who is interested in reading this book that there is a lot of violence and death on display. There is a shot of bodies being buried in a mass grave, and there is just a dump truck of trash being unloaded on top of them. This is not a read for the faint of heart or uneasy of stomach. 

The aspects of humanity on display relate more to the response to violence rather than the violence itself. There is the famous shot of the young girl who’s parents had been shot in their car, and this book shows all the images related to that accidental execution. The images following the events are much more involved than the singular shot we had seen in class before, and show all the steps that the soldiers took to try and right their wrongs. 

Overall I found this to be a very powerful book. I had gratitude for my life and how little violence I have had to endure in contrast to these people who’s entire lives are either ruined or ended by war.