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30 Day Book Meme (2014 version) - Day 11
May. 15th, 2014 06:58 pmDay 11 – A book you hated
2010 Answer: Oliver Twist
So, this year's answer is brought to you by the Fourth Infantry Division's deployment reading list.
1. The Punishment of Virtue by Sarah Chayes. This one came HIGHLY recommended by a ton of higher-ups in our unit, and I hated it. Hated it with a burning passion. So, it's written by this former NPR journalist who goes to cover the initial AFG effort, and then ended up going back and getting involved in things. Too much navel-gazing, and too much complaining about how corrupt people in Afghanistan are while she worked for members of the Karzai family. (Pot and kettle much?) Also, too much talking about how different she was. There was only one other officer who agreed with me on how bad it was, and he used to be an enlisted man. And yes, when I'm saying you're too liberal for my tastes, that says something.
2. In My Father's Country: An Afghan Woman Defies Her Fate by Saima Wahab. Another "highly recommended" title, in this case recommended by the Commanding General of the Third Infantry Division (that should have been a sign). More navel gazing, more "I am the only person in my situation" (I am noticing this a lot in books written by women about dealing with AFG), more getting on my nerves. Especially the part where she was a translator who got involved with the officer she worked for, and made everything a big drama, and then didn't understand why people didn't like her. Spare me, please.
DV
2010 Answer: Oliver Twist
So, this year's answer is brought to you by the Fourth Infantry Division's deployment reading list.
1. The Punishment of Virtue by Sarah Chayes. This one came HIGHLY recommended by a ton of higher-ups in our unit, and I hated it. Hated it with a burning passion. So, it's written by this former NPR journalist who goes to cover the initial AFG effort, and then ended up going back and getting involved in things. Too much navel-gazing, and too much complaining about how corrupt people in Afghanistan are while she worked for members of the Karzai family. (Pot and kettle much?) Also, too much talking about how different she was. There was only one other officer who agreed with me on how bad it was, and he used to be an enlisted man. And yes, when I'm saying you're too liberal for my tastes, that says something.
2. In My Father's Country: An Afghan Woman Defies Her Fate by Saima Wahab. Another "highly recommended" title, in this case recommended by the Commanding General of the Third Infantry Division (that should have been a sign). More navel gazing, more "I am the only person in my situation" (I am noticing this a lot in books written by women about dealing with AFG), more getting on my nerves. Especially the part where she was a translator who got involved with the officer she worked for, and made everything a big drama, and then didn't understand why people didn't like her. Spare me, please.
DV
