Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World by Samantha Power-Hardcover
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Samantha Power’s Chasing the Flame (2008) chronicles the career and untimely death of Sergio Vieira de Mello, a United Nations diplomat killed in the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Iraq. The book highlights his pivotal roles in international crises, including post-war Lebanon, the repatriation of Cambodian refugees, and cease-fire negotiations in Bosnia.
Power, who first met Vieira de Mello in Bosnia in 1994, presents a nuanced portrait of a charismatic yet imperfect figure—respected for his dedication but not without flaws. Critics praised her meticulous research, though some felt her arguments lacked full persuasiveness. They also noted that while her narrative is densely layered, it reaches its most powerful point in the closing chapters describing Vieira de Mello’s final moments.
Serving both as a biography and a critique of the United Nations’ limitations in peacekeeping, the book, though occasionally slow-paced, is regarded as an important work for understanding international diplomacy and the challenges of pursuing global justice.
