Archive - October 26, 2011

The Memoir of Jake Weedsong by Timothy Schell (Central Africa Empire 1978–79) Serving House Books 160 pages $15.00 (paperback), $9.99 (ebook) August 2011 Reviewed by Tony D’Souza (Ivory Coast 2000-02, Madagascar 2002-03) OREGON WRITER TIMOTHY SCHELL’s new novel The Memoir of Jake Weedsong is a meditative book, complex in its construction. A finalist for the AWP Award for the Novel, the story explores bigotry and forgiveness in the Pacific Northwest, where a mixed-race couple is attacked by three young skinheads as they walk through the Parks Block near Portland State University. In court during the skinheads’ sentencing, the eponymous victim’s Japanese wife asks the judge not to send the young men to prison, but rather to a traditional dinner at her home, in which they will be required to wear kimonos. Surrounding this central story is Weedsong’s work on a memoir of his years as an English teacher in an . . .

Peter Drew (Philippines 1977–79) has worked overseas continuous since 1977, first as a PCV, followed by 9 years working in the Indo-Chinese Refugee Program out of Manila. In 1989 he joined the Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. As an FSO, he has served in Ougadougou, Swaziland, Kathmandu, Singapore, Brussels, South Africa, and now he is in his final tour in Bangkok. Recently he sent me this short piece. • Experiences from Afar: A Most Delicious Cherry Cake MANY 3RD WORLD COOKS hired by expatriates or diplomats can be male. They often have hard earned quality repertoires, like French cuisine or what have you, yet as often as not they have at the same time limited menus. For those lucky travelers who’ve had the benefit of being supported by these seasoned hired hands, who likely grew up in the harsh outer lands with no education and worked hard . . .