LitPick Review
This book follows the journey of Jeff Swiller as a Peace Corp volunteer in the village of Mununga in Zambia. Swiller is legally deaf and has learned to use hearing aids. But this puts him in a difficult situation- he doesn't fit in with the hearing community, nor with the deaf community. When Swiller goes to Mununga, he believes that this is finally a place where his hearing ability doesn't matter. But Mununga also has the harsh realities of life. Swiller witnesses sickness, death, disease, a mob, and a violent bus crash. He finds good friends, but also makes some enemies. In the end, his Peace Corp trip will change the way Swiller views the world and himself.
Opinion:
This book is not a larger-than-life story about how one man made the world a better place. Rather, it is a honest memoir about real life. It is not a cheerful book, but it is something that will make an impression. The book deals with many different issues, including issues faced by deaf people in America and around the world, issues about understanding different cultures and places, and issues about life and death. The book is very detailed, and in some cases I thought the details were excessive. This is definitely not a book to read for a happy bedtime story, but don't let that put you off - it is definitely a book worth reading, especially if you are interested in learning more about the world.
