Rope from the Sky

The untold story of Americas attempt to forge a nation from scratch, from euphoric birth to heart-wrenching collapse. South Sudans independence was celebrated around the worlda triumph for global justice and an end to one of the worlds most devastating wars. But the party would not last long: South Sudans freedom fighters soon plunged their new nation into chaos, shattering the promise of liberation and exposing the hubris of their foreign backers. Chronicling extraordinary stories of hope, identity, and survival, A Rope from the Sky journeys inside an epic tale of paradise won and then lost. This character-driven narrative is first a story of power, promise, greed, compassion, violence, and redemption from the worlds most neglected patch of territory. But it is also a story about the best and worst of Americaboth its big-hearted ideals and its difficult reckoning with the limits of American power amid a changing global landscape. Zachs Vertins firsthand acounts, from deadly war zones to the halls of Washington power, brings readers inside this remarkable episodean unprecedented experiment in state-building and a cautionary tale. It is brilliant and breathtaking, a moder-day Greek tragedy that will challenge our perspectives on global politics.