prendrelemick
01-31-2010, 09:23 AM
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton.
A traveling library in Kenya, going out on camels to remote settlements, carrying tales of Polar Bears and Penguins, of Gladiators and Sherlock Holmes. Paid for by Western Corporations- a perfect project for them to back- no pictures of starving Africans on their prospectus here, just smiling kids reading Huckleberry Finn.
First impressions were not good. An “inspirational” story worthy of Readers Digest seemed to be unfolding, I nearly didn't bother, but it was for Book Club so I pressed on.
It was worth it, Hamilton goes on to examine the the clash of cultures inherent in well meaning charitable efforts ;- the advantages to the individual versus the danger to the collective, that the library brings. Refreshingly, those against it are portrayed as intellegent thinking people with real issues, not just reactionary stick-in-the-muds. Both sides want what is best fot their community in a land where survival is on a knife edge, where every day decisions literally mean life and death.
The story is told through half a dozen characters; The Librarian, the American, The Village Girl, The School Teacher etc, Characters are given short readable chapters of their own, and so the plot builds. Their stories give the book its human interest and provides its narrative. They each have their own agendas and motivations. But in the end the affairs of men and women count for little, even the tiny mosquito holds more sway, and they all must give way to Africa herself.
The writing is ok, the story is ok, its an ok book it gets an ok 6 out of 10
A traveling library in Kenya, going out on camels to remote settlements, carrying tales of Polar Bears and Penguins, of Gladiators and Sherlock Holmes. Paid for by Western Corporations- a perfect project for them to back- no pictures of starving Africans on their prospectus here, just smiling kids reading Huckleberry Finn.
First impressions were not good. An “inspirational” story worthy of Readers Digest seemed to be unfolding, I nearly didn't bother, but it was for Book Club so I pressed on.
It was worth it, Hamilton goes on to examine the the clash of cultures inherent in well meaning charitable efforts ;- the advantages to the individual versus the danger to the collective, that the library brings. Refreshingly, those against it are portrayed as intellegent thinking people with real issues, not just reactionary stick-in-the-muds. Both sides want what is best fot their community in a land where survival is on a knife edge, where every day decisions literally mean life and death.
The story is told through half a dozen characters; The Librarian, the American, The Village Girl, The School Teacher etc, Characters are given short readable chapters of their own, and so the plot builds. Their stories give the book its human interest and provides its narrative. They each have their own agendas and motivations. But in the end the affairs of men and women count for little, even the tiny mosquito holds more sway, and they all must give way to Africa herself.
The writing is ok, the story is ok, its an ok book it gets an ok 6 out of 10