What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance

What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance is an autobiography by Carolyn Forché, published in 2019. Forché, an American poet born in 1950, is known for her focus on human rights in her writing.1

The memoir draws from her experiences as a journalist in El Salvador from 1978 to 1980, where she also worked with Amnesty International as a human-rights advocate. Her poetry from this period often depicts the cruelties of war, particularly those inflicted upon children.1

A memoir is a historical record based on personal observation and experience, often focusing on events the author has witnessed or played a role in. Forché's work, including this autobiography, is characterized by her intensely moral sensibility and her concern for human rights.21