In other words, I write about very grim topics. Other books explore topics such as dismemberment, rape, fear, pain, what it means to be human, and militarism.
Although I have published 13 books, the one readers seem to enjoy the most is An Intimate History of Killing, which came out in 1999 and won both the Wolfson Prize and the Fraenkel Prize. I am an historian, based at Birkbeck (University of London), who has spent much of my career exploring the dark side of human experiences. Joanna's Bourke's next work is coming out in October, later this year and will also be available from the publisher, as well as all good bookshops.
Of course, if you're not one of the lucky winners, or if you're simply not entering the competition, you can still get your hands on a copy of this fascinating and beautifully illustrated book here, direct from the publisher, Reaktion Books. As the last submissions for the Art of War contest come rolling in, we speak to Professor Joanna Bourke, a celebrated historian and the award-winning author of our prize giveaway book, War and Art.
