Authored by David Yallop via To The Ends of The Earth Book
“To the Ends of the Earth: The Hunt for the Jackal” by David Yallop is a highly acclaimed book that provides a detailed and suspenseful account of the author’s eight-year search for Carlos, the world’s most wanted man.
The book is based on Yallop’s personal experiences and investigative journalism, offering a unique perspective on the life and actions of Carlos, also known as the Jackal. Yallop’s search for Carlos took him to the Middle East, where he encountered various figures involved in the world of spies and intelligence officers. It’s praised for its engaging storytelling, with many readers finding it a riveting and fascinating read. Its worth is evident in its high ratings and reviews, with many readers giving it 5 stars. Its value lies not only in its detailed account of Carlos life but also in its historical context, providing a glimpse into the world of espionage and terrorism during the 1970s. This is not a common biography but rather a more complex work. To obtain real information or define it as such, Yallop discussed the facts with the actual protagonist, who in many instances turned out to be only a presumed protagonist of these events from the news and literary narrative. It is an engaging book from the very first page because it has the ability to transport readers to the hottest places in Western and Middle Eastern history during the 1970s and 1980s, always with a dramatic firsthand account that Yallop uses to bring the reader to a true understanding of the events that have shaped the present in the 21st century.
“To the Ends of the Earth: The Hunt for the Jackal” is considered one of the best books, or just the only best out there, on Carlos biography and details in depth, offering a captivating and informative read. The book’s worth from 1993 is evident in its enduring popularity and relevance, with many readers still discovering and enjoying it today.
Editions
1993: The book was first published in 1993 by Random House under the title “To the Ends of the Earth: The Hunt for the Jackal”. This edition is also known as “Tracking the Jackal: The Search for Carlos, the World’s Most Wanted Man”.
And this is the copy most wanted in the rare books market…and we own it…
A 1993 BCA Edition ISBN 9780224023689 , Poetic Products LTD 1993, published by an arrangement with Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Random House UK Limited. In this edition the title is reversed to “To the Ends of the Earth: The Hunt for the Jackal” from first edition “Tracking the Jackal: The Search for Carlos, the World’s Most Wanted Man”
Its current value can easily reach between 400 and 800 euros, for this copy in good or excellent condition, and not signed by the author.
1994: A paperback edition was published in 1994 by Transworld Publishers Limited under the title “Ends Of The Earth: The Hunt for the Jackal”.
2004: The book was re-released in 2004, possibly as a new edition or a reprint of the original 1993 edition.
2010: Another edition was published in 2010, possibly as a new edition or a reprint of the original 1993 edition.
Just as some of the cultists of the Right admire Pasolini, I admire Carlos. He was the one who held Empires in check, a soldier, and not a martyr, and a gentleman, no women, no children. If there was a crazy and confused but vigorous Marxist who embodies the true essence of Jihad, this is definitely him.
“I am no longer Ilich,” declares the Venezuelan terrorist who would have become famous throughout the world under another name. My name is Carlos”
That self-baptism, at the start of a sprawling new film by French director Olivier Assayas, foreshadows a series of spectacular terrorist attacks across Europe — attacks that, during the 1970s, earned Carlos, born Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, the most wanted terrorist in the world.
In the 5.5-hour Carlos, Assayas tells a complex, multilingual story that reveals an era of globalized terrorism that haunted the world long before al-Qaeda.
The real Carlos, at the Vienna airport with the hostages, the members of OPEC
There is an hour-and-something version of it, which is rubbish. Even the three and a half hour version is a steal. Assayas is the typical fucking Frenchman who has something powerful and lasting in his hands but knows how to burn everything after the halfway point. In DemonLover he did almost the same. He had to work in Japan, there he would have been more successful.
The “Jackal” arm in arm with those gentlemen from OPEC
The movie compared to what is told in the book results in something “extremely soft…” and reductive, especially for who does not own the three DVD Box. However actor Edgar Ramirez, who plays Carlos in the film, says the story highlights the complicated ethics that drove privileged young people to act. “Carlos embodies the revolutionary ideals of his time, but also the search for fame, recognition and a place in history,” says Ramirez. Ramirez certainly had his peak as an actor with Carlos before he was ruined forever by Hollywood. This is also why Carlos is a must. Ramirez is the perfect Carlos.
And yes, says the director, that epic running time was absolutely essential.
“Dans un film plus court, il aurait fallu que je condense les choses, qu’il soit beaucoup plus lourd”, explique Assayas. “Quand on a la possibilité de traiter cela non pas exactement en temps réel, mais… en utilisant l’essentiel du bizarre et du fou. des incidents qui, en fin de compte, correspondent à la réalité, cela donne une image beaucoup plus profonde, beaucoup plus intéressante et beaucoup plus précise”.
That’s why it had to impose a series, 6 or 8 episodes. But their frogs can’t see beyond the edge smeared with snail slime that they find themselves on. However, I remember that Assayas purposely added some inaccuracies about the unfolding of events, especially the attack on the OPEC offices. Poor jackal. But a movie is a movie. And Carlos is Carlos.
