Dynamite and Conscience

Bertha von Suttner was the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize; and one of the clearest voices against war at a time when Europe was inexorably heading towards the catastrophe of 1914. This book recounts her life amid the political and technological upheavals of her era: from the Russo-Turkish War of 1877 to the founding of the international peace movement, from her formative friendship and correspondence with Alfred Nobel to the first bombing from an aeroplane in 1911. Dynamite and Conscience combines personal experiences with the major events of world history. It shows a woman who fought against the logic of violence with her words, organisational talent and unwavering attitude; and an inventor who faced up to his responsibility. A biographical narrative about courage, vision and the question of whether words can be stronger than weapons.