Book Review: "Place of Reeds" by Caitlin Davies
I actually read this book early last year but never reviewed it on here. Since we're gearing up for the new trainees to arrive in April and one common question we get is "What should I read before I come?" I thought I'd write a review now.
"Place of Reeds" is an autobiography of sorts chronicling the author's life in Botswana. Davies is a Brit who studied in the U.S. While there she met and fell in love with Ron, a man from Maun, Botswana. She returned to the UK after university and eventually found a way to come to Botswana as a teacher. She ended up staying for 12 years, marrying Ron and having a daughter. In between all that, however, there was plenty of drama. Here's a good synopsis from the publisher's website:
But the Botswana of the 1990s was changing. AIDS and urbanization had taken their toll, violence was on the increase. When, with her child in her arms, Caitlin was brutally attacked, Ron's family closed ranks and Caitlin found herself ostracized by the very people she had grown to love. Passionate, hilarious, dramatic and heartbreaking in turn, Place Of Reeds is a story of the clash of cultures, the inflexibility of belief and traditions. It's a story about women -- about Caitlin and her daughter, about Eliah and Madintwa, Ron's formidable mother and grandmother. Most of all, it's a story about one woman's courage, resilience -- and ultimately, survival.
Davies captures a lot of the intricacies to Botswana culture. And, while not a major plot, she does a fascinating job of addressing the early HIV epidemic in Botswana during the 90s. The story is very engaging and the book is hard to put down until you've finished. I very highly recommend "Place of Reeds."
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