Fieldwork

Title: Fieldwork

Author: Mischa Berlinski

Published: 2007

Pages: 356

Rating: 4/5

This was a pretty bitchin' novel about anthropologists and missionaries, set against the background of tribal life in Thailand. It is written in the first person; Berlinski himself is the speaker, though he is not the protagonist. What was cool about this book was that it showed how anthropologists and missionaries are more or less doing the same work, though working toward entirely different goals. While anthropologists want to preserve and even immortalize native cultures, missionaries want to alter them.

Now, if you know me, you know that I wholly disagree with even the idea of missionaries, as I believe they are control freaks trying to dominate those weaker than themselves. The fact that they do this almost entirely without realizing how evil they are does not excuse their abhorrent behavior, in my opinion. But I'll get off my soapbox for now.

I read this book over several months, so I got to enjoy it slowly. Marielle picked it out as something we could read together, showing a talent for selecting books that I will probably enjoy. Marielle knows me well? Nothing new there, haha.

Anyway, I'd especially recommend this to anyone interested in anthropology, though it is an enjoyable casual read as well. Berlinski's descriptions of the natural world as it appears in Thailand are top notch, and the man has a way with words to boot. For a first novel, a very strong showing, I should say.