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Summary: An awesome book
Review: A beutifully written book that was so descriptive it felt like I was there. If you are curious about African life and culture it is a must read.
Rating: 
Summary: It's Okay, but...
Review: After reading Mike Tidwell's The Ponds of Kylambai, I picked up the next book on my list of Peace Corps experiences in Africa. Although Erdman draws us in during her child birthing introduction, after that it's a little bit too much description and not enough story. As the author questions her purpose in this African village, I soon found myself doing the same. She was supposed to be a health care volunteer but most times stood around while the villagers handled things themselves. I promised myself I would make it to page 100 and it was quite an effort to do even that. She's not a bad writer, but when I read ANY type of book I'm looking for an actual story, not just descriptions of how things look.
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Summary: Best book I have read in a while...
Review: Beautifully written, displays the essense of the people of Nambonkaha while offering powerful images and insights. 5 stars
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Summary: Romantic Portrait of African Village
Review: Erdman's work in Nine Hills to Nambonkaha presents a romantic view of village life in Africa. Her experience from the Peace Corp allows Erdman to paint a rich and lively culture of life in an economically and medicinally depressed area. Coping with challenges of communicating prevention and awareness of AIDS, infant care and personal hygiene, Erdman fully imparts to the reader her dedication in submersing herself into the social rituals and cultural norms in Nambonkaha. Her story telling has a romantic undertone in the spirit of human compassion and tolerance. I highly recommend this narrative.
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Summary: Experience the Culture/Politics/Life in an African Village
Review: Experience the sights, sounds and rhythms of an African village as Sarah Erdman, armed with a four year US college degree and three months of training to be a healthcare worker ... describes two years of her life spent with the Peace Corps, in Nambonkaha, on the Ivory Coast of Africa. Ms Erdman proves up to the task of learning the customs/traditions of the village, utilizing the protocols of local politics to achieve her goals. She is understandably irked/outraged by the concept of embezzlement (" bouffer") that is rampant wherever government funds/large business transactions occur. She is touched to the core by the village's response as they present her with gifts ("cadeau") when she runs out of funds while her house is being built. Sarah Erdman proves to have an indominatable spirit and courage to face the tasks and challenges before her ... she wants to make a difference in the lives of this village. She understands the realistic obstacles she faces. The main tangible obstacle is lack of funds, making due with what is available and the realities of poverity. The intangible obstacles are local customs, cultural beliefs and the religious underpinnings of animism despite the outward stated religion of Islam (Muslim). Working within the system, Ms Erdman recognized she could not change long-standing social norms and life-styles. She accepted polygamy and the problems associated with raising an extended family. Certain social norms/duties were ingrained in the culture that can not be changed despite the fact they created deeper problems for the survival of individuals and society as a whole. One man in the village was obligated to accept the widow of his cousin as his fourth wife. It was an unquestioned duty and norm for him to receive the widow of his brother or cousin as his wife. It was a benefit to him and his family to have more wives who provide for more workers to farm the local cash crop, raise the children within the family, and who provide needed help and respite for the other wives during their pregnancies. The new wife had a beautiful doe-eyed baby who developed fevers and a rash called "boutons" ((English, "buttons"). When the routine of antibiotics did not cure the fever ... AIDS was suspected and confirmed. Essentially, the social obligation of accepting the new wife (who did not know she had this disease) became a death sentence for this husband and all of his wives. Perhaps, the children will survive but *only*if precautions are followed (known).... they would be accepted into *another* extended family, after their parents died. This is one example of the cycle of illness/death/despair/poverty which is difficult if not *impossible* to break and overcome despite the help of outsiders. The ultimate reality is: the villagers themselves need to change and break the cycle. Ms Erdman asks the BIG QUESTION, "How do you promote behavior change so that people have more control over the state of their bodies but stop at
the threshold where important traditions get destroyed?" [p. 48] Perhaps, she provides the answer by writing this book, demonstrating that one young white woman daring to go to the heart of an African village and living there for two years, *CAN* and *DOES* make a difference. She received honor, acceptance, and recognition by the village mayor and elders, in that she was allowed to sit and eat with the men during village meetings and cermeonies. The village mayor thanked her in his own way, by approving/appreciating her "healthy-baby contest" efforts to improve the nutrition and health of the African children. He allowed AIDs education, which broke taboos, because unementionable body parts were discussed and shown on film (by a regional government group). Ms Erdman's approach for AIDs education was to write a play with local villagers chosen as actors to fulfill roles to teach the concepts of how AIDS is spread and to teach 'safe sex' practices. In this book, Sarah Erdman shows how one person who truly cares, can touch the hearts, souls, and lives (bodies, health) of a village through knowledge, sensitivty and respect for the culture of a people who are different from her own. She shows the value of getting involved and doing something to help humanity. My highest recommendations. Erika Borsos (erikab93)
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Summary: 9 Reasons You Won't Want to Put it Down...
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I found it very insightful and although there was rarely a change in the setting, I never found a dull moment! Sarah Erdman makes the reader feel like they are in Nambonkaha with her and the characters feel like they are your best friends. I also loved that she included historical information about Cote d'Ivoire but kept it fairly brief as to not overwhelm the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in adventure, Africa, women's travels, and volunteering in the Peace Corps!
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Summary: Wonderful, wonderful
Review: I couldn't agree less with the reviewer from Atlanta. Sarah Erdman's book is beautifully written and is compelling throughout. As for the reviewer's perception that she stood around and let people do things: What book did you read? Also: A goal of many aide organizations such as the Peace Corps is often to hold the lamp, not always to chop the wood. If aide workers do this, what would be learned? What would happen when they leave? When Erdman left her beloved Nambonkaha, the life skills she taught continued. I couldn't put this book down and congratulate the writer on her excellent perceptions about human nature and Africa. I love her writing style, and ability to capture the personalities of her friends in the village. Can't wait for more.
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Summary: Deeply moving
Review: I found this account of life in an African village deeply moving, and enlightening. The descriptions of just the day to day processes of life in one African village made the challenges faced by the whole continent much clearer to me, and what a long hard road is ahead. Sometimes just looking at the details of one thing, can make the larger picture much clearer, and I think this book did that for me.
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Summary: The best book I've read in a long time
Review: I read alot...2000+ pages per week. Much of what I read I find is either badly written or not emotional stirring--fiction and non-fiction. I picked up Nine Hills to Nambonkaha on a lark this summer--my local bookstore invited me to pick from their advanced reading copies which would go otherwise unread. Within three pages, I was living in the Cote d'Ivoire with Sarah Erdman. Not only is this an incredibly absorbing account of Ms. Erdman's stint as a Peace Corps worker but (gasp) it is beautifully written and (gasp, gasp) accessible to all. If I was giving Pulitzer's this would be it. Go read it.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I started this book right after finishing "The Ponds of Kalambayi" and I didn't think it was going to be as good. But as the book progressed it got better and better. Very descriptive and informative. I got a real sense of what the author's two years must of been like. A good read for anyone interested in the Peace Corps.
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