Have just finished reading The Map of Love, so 3 books down, 5 to go...
Both Poisonwood Bible and Map are based in countries about which I know very little - respectively The Belgian Congo as was (which is now, of course, Zaire) and Egypt. Both books are set against a background of political turmoil, intervention by the USA and the negative impact caused by this foreign intrusion into domestic politics. It made me realise quite how little I know of the world in which we live - I feel quite ashamed by my lack of knowledge - and on my return to the UK I am going to search out some good books that fill in all the gaps in my understanding of the world.
On a similar subject, I found a passage in Small Gods that made me laugh, seeing as it was echoing sentiments I expressed to Kate only yesterday:
The Ephebians believed that every man should have the vote. Every five years someone was elected to be Tyrant, provided he could prove that he was honest, intelligent, sensible and trustworthy. Immediately after he was elected, of course, it was obvious to everyone that he was a criminal madman and totally out of touch with the view of the ordinary philosopher in the street looking for a towel. And then five years later they elected another one just like him, and really it was amazing how intelligent people kept on making the same mistakes.
So true, so true. Maybe I can get it typed out, laminted and put on the wall in my classroom.
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