The Village of Waiting by George Packer
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Book Reviews of The Village of Waiting
Book Review: Profound in its Simplicity
Summary: 5 Stars
George Packer's ability to describe the lives of many who live in Togo make this piece of text a must-read for all, even for those who do not have an interest in serving in the Peace Corps. He writes with raw emotion and sincerity, without a tad of pretense. I'd say that Packer's foremost accomplishment in this text is that he makes no attempt to tell a story about how a superior white individual intervenes in a remote village and rids the residents of poverty and illiteracy. Rather, The Village of Waiting is a sincere account of his realization that sadly, some things just cannot be altered. I think Packer knew this from the outset, but it is interesting to read about he endures this realization during his 2-year service in Togo.Book Review: One of the best PC books ever written
Summary: 5 Stars
If you want to cast moral judgement on George Packer, don't read this book. If you want to read the best Peace Corps book ever written, at least about life in Africa, then pick up this book. I lived in Guinea in the mid-90s, while Packer was in Togo in the early 80s. Yet I felt like he was describing my own village, my own frustrations, my own thoughts and feelings (save the prostitute). This was the book that convinced me not to write a book about my own experience. He did it, only better.Book Review: A book of little inherent value.
Summary: 1 Stars
I have to disagree with every review written about this book thusfar. It is not well written, for one. The style is amateurish, and it has little substance.
But that's not what really bothers me about this book. What really bothers me is that he writes about soliciting a prostitute that he describes as having a "twelve-year-old's body." Another thing that bothered me was that George Packer dropped out of the Peace Corps without even telling his so-called friends in the village that he was leaving. He wasted the opportunity that was given to him, wrote a mediocre book about it, and yet reviewers come on Amazon.com and laud it.
Want some free advice? Read any other book about Africa, Togo, or the Peace Corps instead. This one is not very good.
Book Review: He got it wrong
Summary: 1 Stars
As a volunteer with Mr. Packer in Togo, I was thrilled when the book came out , bought it, and was quickly discouraged to read such a cheap shot at the Peace Corps and Togo. Clearly he is an excellent writer. Unfortunately he used his talent to paint an inaccurate picture of the Peace Corps in Togo and the Togolese people. Perhaps it is because he did very little during his limited service in the Peace Corps in Togo, and in fact left before the end of his service; indeed, it is often in the second year that volunteers have their "aha" moments as reality falls into place and it becomes easier to make sense of a culture so different from your own.Book Review: Not a real PCV
Summary: 1 Stars
I read this book before I went to Peace Corps in Benin. Togo volunteers referred to it as "The Village of Whining." They had it right. If you want to hear what Peace Corps in West Africa is like you should read a book by someone who actually finished their service.