Notes from My Travels: Visits with Refugees in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan and Ecuador is a collection of journal excerpts kept by actress Angelina Jolie written from February 2001 through June 2002[1] detailing her experiences travelling to troubled Third World regions in her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
 First edition | |
| Author | Angelina Jolie |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
Publication date | October 2003 |
| Media type | Print (trade paperback) |
| Pages | 213 |
| ISBN | 0-7434-7023-0 |
| OCLC | 53237005 |
| 362.87 22 | |
| LC Class | HV640 .J65 2003 |
The book was published in 2003, concurrent with the release of Beyond Borders, a film in which she plays a character who eventually works for UNHCR. It was also during the timeframe of writing these journals that Jolie adopted her Cambodian-born son, Maddox.[2]
Notes from My Travels details Jolie's visits to Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Ecuador.
Jolie donated her proceeds from the book to the UNHCR.[3]
In 2006, Jolie put her handwritten notebooks up for auction with the proceeds benefiting refugees.[4] Bidding started at $150,[5] and the journals were sold for $5,460.[6]
Release edit
The book was officially released October 28, 2003.[7]
In July 2020, Notes from My Travels was translated into Vietnamese by Hoang Anh Kapi.[8][9]
Reception edit
Critical response edit
Upon its release Notes from My Travels, was well received with newspapers like The Arab American News saying the book, "...offers insight into refugee life."[1]
In 2016, the book was included in a list by UWIRE of empowering books for Women's History Month. The journalist behind the list Sarah Nichols called the book, "deeply intelligent and thoughtful."[10]
Hoang Anh Kapi who adapted the book for Vietnamese in 2020 called the book, "...a must-read book to understand more about the world we are living in."[8]
Jane Goodall, Ph.D., CBE Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace said, "Angelina is living proof of the power we all have—every one of us—to make a difference. I was deeply moved by her descriptions of individual refugees struggling to live with dignity and hope, and found her personal commitment to be an inspiration. Angelina's journals document her awakening as a humanitarian activist and I hope they will move readers to act. I look forward to my continued work with Angelina on behalf of the United Nations."[7]
On December 25, 2018, Syeda Adeela Zainab from the Voice of Journalists said "The book is worth reading for everybody especially for those who want to volunteer their selves for the well being of humanity."[11]
Public opinion edit
When interviewed by the Daily Mirror in October 2003, Angelina's father Jon Voight said the book is, "...very well written and moving to read."[12]
References edit
- ^ a b "Angelina Jolie Releases Journal About Refugee Life". The Arab American News. April 23, 2004. p. 10. ProQuest 362812100.
- ^ "Angelina Jolie Advocates Aid for Refugees". CNN. January 25, 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2007.
- ^ Keeps, David (November 2003). "Angelina Jolie: Girl, Transformed". Redbook. Vol. 201, no. 5. p. 154. ProQuest 1896247840.
- ^ "Angelina Jolie auctioning her journal to raise money for refugees in Chile". National Post. June 22, 2006. p. A16. ProQuest 330412637.
- ^ "Angelina Jolie auctions journal for refugees". China Daily. June 21, 2006. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023.
- ^ "In Brief". La Opinión. June 28, 2006. p. 6B. ProQuest 368522597.
- ^ a b Tan, Vivian (October 28, 2003). "Goodwill Ambassador releases new book on visits with refugees". UNHCR. Archived from the original on June 21, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "Angelina Jolie's Book Published in Vietnamese". Việt Nam News. July 3, 2020. ProQuest 2419894540.
- ^ "Angelina Jolie's book published in Vietnamese". Vietnam Global. March 7, 2020. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023.
- ^ Nichols, Sarah (March 26, 2016). "Empowering books to commemorate Women's History Month". University Wire. ProQuest 1775856104.
- ^ Zainab, Syeda Adeela (December 25, 2018). ""Notes from my Travels" by Angelina Jolie Review". Voice of Journalists. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023.
- ^ Edwards, David (October 24, 2003). "Film Chat: Voight in a Void; How Jon Voight Hopes to Make Up With Angelina Jolie". Daily Mirror. ProQuest 339147940.