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Little Liberia: An African Odyssey in New York City by Jonny Steinberg (view source)
Revision as of 12:47, 3 June 2011
, 12:47, 3 June 2011no edit summary
He concentrates on mainly victims of trauma as well as trying to lift youngsters out of poverty and into a better life. And as the reader travels back in time to both Jacob's and Rufus's turbulent past lives, we see that both have had their own share of trauma and poverty. And although there is no doubt that Steinberg is a consummate professional with a sympathetic ear, not all of this questions will be answered. And I appreciated his honesty here. He could easily have chosen to leave out these parts and make his question-and-answer sessions flow beautifully.
I was expecting, however, that the whole book would be based in New York as the title suggests (An African Odyssey in New Work York City) but quite a substantial chunk is based in war-torn Liberia: the troubles leading up to civil war, who was involved, what the political/economic outcomes would be etc. So, if you're expecting 'all things urban' you may be a little disappointed. While I fully appreciate that the author travels back in time to try to get the essence of the two men, a lot of this results in perhaps rather dry and dense historical/political narrative. It's also not that easy to just dip in and out, or even perhaps read a chapter or two, as you'll miss the flow and the story proper.
That said, this book, although powerful in its content, is written with sensitivity. Episodes of brutality and violence are covered because they are central to the story. Ultimately, this book shows what courage, vision and energy can do - against the odds. I felt humbled and privileged to have read these personal accounts. Recommended.