NEW YORK — “Sweet Relief: The Marla Ruzicka Story,” a book chronicling the life and work of this Lakeport-born humanitarian and activist, was released here today by the Simon and Schuster publishing house.
The 272-page book was authored by Jennifer Abrahamson, a San Francisco Bay Area writer who met Ruzicka in Afghanistan. Abrahamson says she began collaborating with Marla on the book three years before her death, caused by an Iraqi suicide car bomber in April 2005 on the road to the Baghdad airport.
Abrahamson”s book recounts Marla”s quest to improve the lives of the civilian victims of wars in Baghdad and Kabul, Afghanistan and travels with her through her earlier years in Latin America and Africa.
The author describes Ruzicka as “a savvy political operator, a war-time Mother Theresa meets Erin Brokovich, who sacrificed her life to give a voice to the invisible victims of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Marla was the first humanitarian to elicit money from the U.S. government to aid these “invisible victims,” a fund totaling $50 million to be used for that purpose.
“However, more than any amount of money, it is Marla”s life story one of unflagging love, hope, courage and determination that may help change the world some day,” says Abrahamson.
“Sweet Relief: The Marla Ruzicka Story” will retail at bookstores for $24.95. A Paramount/MTV film version of Marla”s story, starring Kirsten Dunst, is in pre-production.
Contact John Lindblom at jlwordsmith@mchsi.com.
