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Rating: 
Summary: observations
Review: a truly compelling story about a vermonter dealing with the intricacies of west african ethnic policies.the end was an O'Henry like conclusion, which threw me completely off balance. in all, the books should be made into a movie. i loved them!
Rating:
Summary: I cried.
Review: I couldn't wait to read the second book. It really tore me up,(but what an adventure!) and in the end I cried. What happened to the sisters that he was so in love with? And who is the editor? His sister, or his wife? As a psychologist, I can attest to the fact that he was tormented for sure, but loveable, nonetheless! What happenend in in end, the after the flight to New York? Did he finally settle down, or is he still wandering, looking for meaning? Is there another book by him coming out soon? Will there be a book signing in the near future, as I would like to meet him! Dominique
Rating: 
Summary: A unique and personal view of this young man's Liberia
Review: This autobiographical novel by Maurice Blaise, based on his
experiences Africa in the 1970s when he was studying for the
priesthood, was written in two parts. The first part, which I reviewed
previously, was fascinating even though I thought it was a bit
overlong. I feel the same way about Part 2. There's good material here
and a wonderful story, but the author has a tendency to over analyze
and give long explanations of his philosophy and even write about his
dreams. All this is unnecessary because the story is a good one and he
tells it well. Part 2 is set primarily in Liberia and the lead
character, Maurice, has befriended and fallen in love with two young
African women of the Kru tribe. He also has to travel to outlying
areas to do Sunday church services. He describes all of this in
excruciating detail. The reader learns about the backbreaking labor
that the people endure as well as the terrible illnesses. We get to
take a fresh look at the practice of polygamy and what it means to the
ex-wives when the Church forces men who have formerly had several
wives, to divorce all but one. We understand the relentless search for
nourishing food and see first hand the impact that the Church has
brought. We learn about plain raw survival in spite of terrible
obstacles. Life becomes difficult for Maurice because he decides to
leave the Church. What follows are even more graphic descriptions of
the contrasts between wealth and poverty in the city. When he has
nowhere else to go, he is befriended by Mandingo Muslims and learns to
appreciate their way of life. Then, just when he is rejoined by the
two women he loves, there is a sudden twist to the story. And the
reader is left with a conclusion that never ties up all the loose
ends. That's a shame because there is some excellent material here and
Mr. Blaise is a good writer. In spite of the shortcomings, I do
recommend these books. They will give you a unique and personal view
of the world the author experienced. Just be prepared for a very long
read.
Rating:
Summary: A unique and personal view of this young man's Liberia
Review: This autobiographical novel by Maurice Blaise, based on his
experiences Africa in the 1970s when he was studying for the
priesthood, was written in two parts. The first part, which I reviewed
previously, was fascinating even though I thought it was a bit
overlong. I feel the same way about Part 2. There's good material here
and a wonderful story, but the author has a tendency to over analyze
and give long explanations of his philosophy and even write about his
dreams. All this is unnecessary because the story is a good one and he
tells it well. Part 2 is set primarily in Liberia and the lead
character, Maurice, has befriended and fallen in love with two young
African women of the Kru tribe. He also has to travel to outlying
areas to do Sunday church services. He describes all of this in
excruciating detail. The reader learns about the backbreaking labor
that the people endure as well as the terrible illnesses. We get to
take a fresh look at the practice of polygamy and what it means to the
ex-wives when the Church forces men who have formerly had several
wives, to divorce all but one. We understand the relentless search for
nourishing food and see first hand the impact that the Church has
brought. We learn about plain raw survival in spite of terrible
obstacles. Life becomes difficult for Maurice because he decides to
leave the Church. What follows are even more graphic descriptions of
the contrasts between wealth and poverty in the city. When he has
nowhere else to go, he is befriended by Mandingo Muslims and learns to
appreciate their way of life. Then, just when he is rejoined by the
two women he loves, there is a sudden twist to the story. And the
reader is left with a conclusion that never ties up all the loose
ends. That's a shame because there is some excellent material here and
Mr. Blaise is a good writer. In spite of the shortcomings, I do
recommend these books. They will give you a unique and personal view
of the world the author experienced. Just be prepared for a very long
read.
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