Book Reviews – Peace Corps Worldwide

Book Review: The Vanishing Point: Stories by Paul Theroux (Malawi 1963-1965)

Mar 19 2025

I’ve read and reviewed the last seven books from the “Dean of Travel Writing,” Paul Theroux. I wrote my latest book, My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road, in honor and appreciation of Theroux and another travel writer, “who personally knew and was inspired by Moritz Thomsen and passed their enthusiasm on to me.” Thomsen wrote the Peace Corps experience classic, Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle. Theroux’s book, The Tao of Travel, celebrates 50 years of travel writing and inspired my series, “The Yin & Yang of Travel.” Theroux is probably the most prolific of the Returned Peace Corps writers, with 33 works in fiction and 56 books overall. He’s also a prolific essay writer who published Figures in a Landscape in 2018. Figures in a Landscape was his third volume of essays, following Sunrise with Seamonsters (1984) and Fresh Air Fiend (2001) for 134 essays written over . . .

Neighbors: Oral History From Madera California Vol. 4 by Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras 1975-1977)

Mar 05 2025

This book is about two generations of Peace Corps Volunteers and their writing. Over the years, I’ve read and reviewed several of the 20 books of fellow author and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer “Lorenzo” Lihosit. He was a volunteer in Honduras and married a lady from Mexico, and I was a volunteer in Guatemala and married a señorita from there. I used his Peace Corps Experience: Write & Publish Your Memoir to write my first book, Different Latitudes: My Life in the Peace Corps and Beyond, proofed his Oral History from Madera, California, and agreed with the Madera Tribune, “The best of its kind in print. Like Volume 1, the author offers real-life stories by citizens of Madera, California. They seem to speak directly to us, seated at our kitchen table, waving their arms while laughing. This book is a must-read for those interested in the California Central Valley.” I was pleased to read . . .

Book Review: Carnival in Rio, by Steve Kaffen (Reviewed by N. Waheed Nasser)

Jan 16 2025

If there’s one word that describes Steve Kaffen’s latest book, Carnival in Rio, it’s “joyous.” Using narrative, stories, and striking photography, he presents what he calls “one of the world’s great spectacles” including its samba parades, street parties, championship soccer, and local color. He adds excursions along the coast and a journey into the Amazon rainforest, plus a section to help readers plan their Carnival visits. The coverage is complete due to his timing. He arrives a week early and observes the start-up excitement. “Carnival is a time when positive emotions dwarf life’s frustrations…. Everyone sports a costume, even if it’s a cute crown or an outrageous hat or shirt or, popular with children, sneakers flashing multi-colored lights.” He remains past the end and describes city life reverting to normal. He stays in three interesting areas: Copacabana, Ipanema, and Botafogo. Copacabana, he says, is famous for its beach and for . . .

Book Review | Other Rivers: A Chinese Education, by Peter Hessler

Dec 10 2024

Other Rivers: A Chinese Education by Peter Hessler Penguin Press (July 9, 2024); 464 pages Available on Amazon – $19.21 (Hardcover) or $14.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Clifford Garstang (Korea, 1976-77) I have been an admirer of Peter Hessler’s work since reading his first book, River Town, about his Peace Corps service at a Chinese university in the 1990s. I was particularly drawn to that book because of my own Peace Corps work in a Korean university twenty years earlier and also because my eventual professional life took me to China frequently. Hessler wrote eloquently about his Peace Corps experience in a way that I think any RPCV could relate to. Hessler’s subsequent books about China, Oracle Bones and Country Driving, written while he was a journalist in Beijing, were fascinating accounts of other aspects of life in China, in which Hessler himself was a prominent character. All three of the . . .

Review | AFRICA OPENED MY HEART by Julia Dreyer Wang (Benin)

Oct 05 2024

Africa Opened My Heart: A Memoir Julia Dreyer Wang (Benin 2012-14) Native Book Publishing August 2024 341 pages $19.99 (paperback), $3o.00 (Hardcover), $4.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Karen Chaffraix Waller (Senegal, Agroforestry, 2012- 14) . . . In Africa Opened My Heart Julie Wang takes the reader on a journey into deepest Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. But unlike most of us who engage in this two-year mission, she fell in love with a native and put down roots on the continent. She built a family and a house and a thriving foundation that continues to change lives. She is now in her 70’s, white, monied, and brave. Wang’s story is woven with insights and confessions. She tells us why she went and why she stays, all the while illuminating the malevolency of the world’s black/white divide with its inherent contradictions and evils. She illustrates the discernable difference between . . .

OTHER RIVERS by Peter Hessler (China)

Aug 26 2024

Review — Other Rivers – spotlight on Generation Xi An American’s view of life in China during the tumultuous Covid years Reviewed by Amy Hawkins The Guardian 21 Aug 2024 When Peter Hessler (China 1996-98), the celebrated chronicler of Chinese society, arrived at Sichuan University in the autumn of 2019, he was expecting to take a break from writing. Hessler made his name as a journalist documenting the lives of everyday people during China’s boom years in the early 2000s. But he first got to know the country as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Sichuan in the mid-1990s – an experience that formed the basis of his first book, River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, a bestseller that introduced a generation of readers to a rapidly changing China. Nearly a quarter of a century on, he had planned to focus his energies on teaching. But events were about . . .

Review | Patrick Shea’s PEACE CORPS VICTIM: A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER STORY OF TRAUMA AND BETRAYAL

Aug 19 2024

Peace Corps Victim: A Peace Corps Volunteer Story of Trauma and Betrayal Patrick Shea (Georgia 2016-17 — Medically Separated) Friesen Press 258 pages $21.99 (Paperback); $ 9.99 (Kindle); $35.99 (Hardcover) by Andy Martin (Ethiopia 1965-68) . . . Patrick Shea had a terrible time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Georgia, and he wants the world to know it. To get his message out, he has self-published a book called, Peace Corps Victim, subtitled, a Peace Corps Volunteer Story of Trauma and Betrayal. In addition, Shea has added the initials RPCV after his name. In the Forward, he excuses the many typos and grammatical errors throughout the book, by stating that he wrote it during the COVID-19 years and that he wanted to have it published as soon as possible because of what he feels is the book’s importance. He has spent thousands of his own . . .

Review — WALKING WITH EVARISTO by Christian Nill (Guatemala)

Jul 14 2024

Walking with Evaristo: A Memoir of Celebration and Tragedy in the Land of the AchÍ Maya Christian Nill (Guatemala 1978–82) Peace Corps Writers May 2024 383 pages $17.99 (paperback), $9.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Mark Walker (Guatemala) • • • Fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Christian Nill has written an engaging story about the impact and consequences of his experience as a volunteer in the highlands of Guatemala. He’s also made a timely contribution to our understanding of the devastating ten-year period of violence there. Although I was a volunteer five years before Nill, the similarities were amazing. I worked on a study for CARE identifying some of the management and conservation practices used for the Food-for-Work program implemented in conjunction with the group Nill worked with, INAFOR (National Forestry Institute). My second site was also in Baja Verapaz, where I found my bride. I raised money for the program in the . . .

Review | AUSTRALIA BY BUS by Steve Kaffen (Russia)

May 08 2024

Australia by Bus by Steve Kaffen (Russia 1994-96) Independently published 313 pages April 2024 Kindle Unlimited $4.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by N. Waheed Nasser (Peace Corps Auditor 2002-06 & 2011-16) • • • In Australia by Bus, author Steve Kaffen states at the outset, “Bus travel is an ideal way to visit Australia,” and he proceeds to tell us why and how and to show us Australia: its cities, scenic highlights, and historic and cultural sites including those of the land’s indigenous groups. His events timing is right on: Sydney for New Year’s Eve, Melbourne for the Australian Open, Perth for its Perth Festival. For the author, bus journeys are integral parts of the travel experience as riders “observe the passing scenery, local color and lifestyles and enjoy the photographic opportunities and the camaraderie of fellow passengers and drivers.” On a personal note, I have been to Australia and visited a good number of . . .

Review: THE CHINESE DETECTIVE by Joseph Theroux (Samoa)

May 01 2024

The Chinese Detective: Hawaii’s Real Charlie Chan by Joseph Theroux (Samoa, 1975-78 years) Kilauea Publications 228 pages January, 2024 $12.00 (paperback) $5.00 (Kindle) Reviewed by Cynthia Nelson Mosca (Ethiopia 1967-69) • • • On cold blustery Chicago afternoons, I could be found sitting on the sofa in our living room, munching popcorn, and watching old black and white Charlie Chan movies. It never occurred to me that Charlie Chan was based on a real person. But real he was and quite a character too. Earl Derr Biggers authored six Charlie Chan novels which were made into feature films and were the inspiration for sixteen more. His Charlie Chan was modeled after Chang Apana who was a real detective in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lloyd Osbourne, the narrator of story was the stepson of Robert Louis Stevenson. The father and stepson collaborated on three novels. Osbourne went on to fill his life with the . . .

Review — YOU TRY PAA by Cynthia Ann Caul (Ghana)

Apr 26 2024

You Try Paa: A Love Song in Translation Cynthia Ann Caul (Ghana 2008–10) Independently published 88 pages $9.99 (paperback), $6.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Dan Campbell ( El Salvador 1974 –77 • • • Cynthia Ann Caul’s You Try Paa offers readers a poetic journey through her experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. The book weaves a tapestry of encounters and insights, embodying the spirit of adventure and human connection. Through her poetic narratives, Caul captures the essence of Ghanaian culture with an authenticity and affection that can only stem from genuine engagement and respectful curiosity. The title “You Try Paa” reflects a common phrase in Ghana that expresses encouragement and acknowledgment of one’s efforts. This encapsulates Caul’s experiences in Ghana — constantly learning, adapting, and trying, even amidst challenges. The poems are structured around various themes such as community, resilience, cultural exchanges, and personal growth, each telling a story . . .

Review | THE NARROW WINDOW by Gary D. Wilson (Swaziland)

Apr 02 2024

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Philip Peters (Swaziland 69/70 & Botswana 75/76) • • • The shocking rape of a Peace Corps volunteer shatters the precarious balance of American idealism and hypocrisy in 1969 Swaziland, a newly independent country dealing with its own equally fraught post-colonial issues. Full of fascinating characters in exquisitely described exotic locations, where everyone has their own agenda, the new modernity mixes with native customs and spirits, and expats only think they know what’s really going on. Above all, Wilson’s heartbreaking novel exposes the irony of our country’s continuing desire to benevolently remake the world in one part of the globe while waging war in another and what happens to those trying to make it all work. A tale of identity and the meaning of belonging. The scars we leave behind and the scars we take with us. • • • Gary D. Wilson’s first novel, Sing, Ronnie . . .

Review | WORDMAN by P. F. Kluge (Micronesia)

Mar 22 2024

Wordman by P.F.Kluge (Micronesia 1967-69) Peace Corp Writers 204 pages January, 2024 $22.00 paperback Reviewed by Stephen Foehr (Ethiopia 1965-66) • • • So, you want to be a writer, despite the warnings of school counselors, parents who advise to train for a day job, and the realism of making a living in the creative arts. Okay. It may be a long shot, but it’s possible. But, first read Wordman, the memoir of P.F. (Fred) Kluge’s career as a journalist and an acclaimed writer. He took the well-trodden route from journalism to nonfiction to fiction. His first job out of college was editor/writer for The Micronesian Reporter as a Peace Corps volunteer (Micronesia 1967-69). He went on to write features and travel articles for prestigious magazines. Two of his novels became films, Dog Day Afternoon and Eddie and the Cruisers. Kluge’s memoir is a useful primer for making that journey, . . .

Review | AFGHANISTAN: CROSSROADS AND KINGDOMS by Guy Toby Marion

Mar 05 2024

Afghanistan: Crossroads and Kingdoms — My 1970s Peace Corps Service and Recent Afghan History by Guy Toby Marion (Afghanistan 1971-75) Peace Corps Books January 2024 280 pages $21.95 (Paperback); $8.95 (Kindle) Reviewed by Robin Varnum (Afghanistan 1971-73) • • • In 1974, after serving for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan, Guy Toby Marion (known to his friends as Toby), returned to New York on home leave and was greeted by a family friend, who said, “welcome to civilization.” Toby smiled politely, but he thought privately that, “despite its poverty, Afghanistan was cultured and civilized.” Toby’s Afghanistan: Crossroads and Kingdoms (Peace Corps Writers, 2024) displays its author’s deep appreciation of Afghanistan’s culture, Islamic religion, poetry, and history. Sadly, that history has often been violent, since as Toby points out, “from ancient times Afghanistan has been an historical crossroads, seeing many wars and changes of empire.” When Toby arrived . . .

Review | THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE by Clifford Garstang (Korea)

Feb 22 2024

The Last Bird of Paradise by Clifford Garstang (Korea 1976-77) Black Rose Writing 340 pages February 2024 $6.99 (Kindle) $23.95 (paperback) Reviewed by Bill Preston (Thailand 1977-80) • • • Reading the Author’s Note following this remarkable novel, I was struck by several ways Clifford Garstang’s experience has resembled mine. He first visited Singapore, the setting of the novel, in 1978, “as a young backpacker, touring Asia after spending two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Korea.” I also traveled to Singapore in 1978–from Thailand, between Peace Corps teaching assignments. I too was fascinated by the emerging city-state, an oasis of calm and order compared to bustling, chaotic Bangkok or Jakarta. Six years later, he returned to Singapore, first as an associate and later as a partner of a U.S. law firm. Some years prior to Peace Corps, while working with Legal Aid attorneys as a VISTA volunteer, I . . .