Random Things Tours: Belly Woman by Benjamin Black

 

Words on paper do have a fantastic power to share and eventually change. Without stories and testimonies we cannot find the truth, we are unable to grasp realities and eventually take steps towards changing.

Besides saving lives in West Africa and consulting international aid organisations, Dr. Benjamin Black shared his experiences in helping pregnant women to survive extreme epidemic conditions, particularly ebola in a working memoir, Belly Woman published by Neem Tree Press. Almost every two minutes, a woman dies as result of pregnancy-related complications. Affected are mostly women from a precarious social and economic background. 

What can a doctor do in such circumstances, lacking proper funding and medical facilities?  The testimonies of Dr. Benjamin Black are an example of human dedication and highest professional standards. However, it also demonstrates how limited is our knowledge in this field and how much we need to think in terms of various circumstances and special conditions. Sexual and reproductive health rights during epidemics is rarely discussed but a reality for the doctors trying to save lives on a daily basis.

Belly Woman is an eye opening evidence of the fragility of the woman condition and the need to change the policies, particularly at the level of international organisations in this respect. For those considering to follow a career in the medical field, this book shows why such a profession is among the most important in the world and the huge responsibility a doctor has. 

It is an inspiring and thoughful read, and an important contribution to the medical nonfiction books about countries coping with the dramatic combined effects of epidemics and social crisis.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own 

The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour: The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew

 

A romance spanning time, South-Eastern Asian history, beautiful writing of a story out of time. Those are rarely character features of a debut novel that one can encounter once at a time. The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew, published by Neem Tree Press met all those criteria, and a couple of extra more. 

From the very beginning I may confess that my literary taste buds for time travel, especially when it involves some supernatural connections - except djinns, I do have a weakness for djinns - but in the case of this book, the serious research and the story itself allows this element to slide as a mythological encounter. I´ve felt like it does not alter the sense of the story, but rather allows the reader to access a different literary dimension.

While doing some archive and historical research about Singapore, photographer and archivist Charlie Sze-Toh receives a letter from a famous local photographer who lived in the 1920s. Through some photographic plates, a conversation enfolds, leading Charlie to an unknown world of fear and anguish, fearing the Japanese Occupation. 

In a very dynamic yet symbiotic way, the timelines from both eras do offer a generous space for expanding and explaining the narrative. From the family issues Charlie is facing - vaguely but necessarily justifying the associationl of the book with Crazy Rich Asians - to the carefully curated details of the life in a Japanese brothel in Singapore in the 1920s, the book has so many narrative twists that do keep the reader involved in the life of the characters, no matter how unlikely their involvement may sound like. 

I deeply enjoyed reading The Light Between Us. This book only made me nostalgic for South-Eastern Asia and the trove of inspiration that lies there deeply hidden still waiting to be discovered and storyfied. 

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour: Takeout Sushi by Christopher Green

When my passion for short stories meets my love for Japan, the result is a couple of full hours spent reading. I am trying to feature on the blog as much as possible short stories, particularly with a contemporary touch, therefore Takeout Sushi by Christopher Green was a great choice for the week. 

The book, to be publish soon by Neem Tree Press, an edition house I had the chance to feature before on my blog, is illustrated by Rebecca Purton. I am a big admirer of smart and beautiful covers, and in this case, only looking at the cover without knowing too much about the content of the book, it may be enough to purchase it.

Green is based in Japan and also writes children stories, and Takeout Sushi is his adult writing debut. A collection of 17 stories, the topics are taken from the everyday life, inspired by his own experience abroad, and reflecting unique stanzas. There is a diversity of topics covered, but also quite different writing touches, maybe the stories were written at different moments of the author´s literary journey. 

With humour, nostalgy and heartwarming approach, Green put into motion characters and situations that you may rather ignore in the everyday life. There are stories that makes you both cry and laugh, strange encounters of a lifetime. Robots replacing humans, foreigners in a foreign city, humans longing for belonging. I really loved the diversity of topics and angles in these stories and at the end was definitely longing for much more. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own