Comments on: Suggested Readings http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/2009/04/suggested-readings/ Accessing the World through Words Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:13:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stephanie Holleran http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/2009/04/suggested-readings/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Stephanie Holleran Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:13:17 +0000 http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/?p=13#comment-8 O'Neill, Joseph. Netherland. New York: Vintage Books, 2008. Netherland, a novel by Joseph O’Neill, provides a poignant look at a life of blurred identity and displacement. Hans van den Broek is a Dutch man living in post 9/11 New York City. While not explicitly discussing 9/11, the novel explores life in NYC and the emotions and stress from an international perspective. Hans takes readers through numerous trials and tribulations of his new city life. He is befriended by Chuck Ramkissoon, a Trinidadian interested in promoting cricket in the U.S. but also involved in some illegal activities that Hans unknowingly plays a part. The idea of creating a cricket stadium in NYC in a culture that does not play the game is a metaphor for Hans feeling like he does not belong. “In this country, we’re nowhere. We’re a joke. Cricket? How funny. So we play as a matter of indulgence” (O’Neill 2008). Hans and Chuck are bound together in this venture and both struggle with assimilating into American life, yet they have different views on how that difficultly affects them. The stress of living in America and holding a family together took a toll on Hans’ marriage. “We had lost the ability to speak to each other. The attack on New York had removed any doubt about this. She’d never sensed herself so alone, so comfortless, so far from home, as during these last weeks” (O’Neill 2008). Rachel, Han’s wife, began to feel the effects of culture shock and she moved back to London with their son. Hans remained in New York because he was not ready to return to London. Eventually, Hans returns to London to work things out with Rachel. Netherland also gives a subtle look into the daily lives of native New Yorkers. “Danielle wandered around my apartment, as was her privilege: people in New York are authorized by convention to snoop around and mentally measure and pass comment on any real estate they’re invited to step into” (O’Neill 2008). Throughout the novel, readers will experience daily life in New York City in a way that is true to the city. Netherland is useful in the International Education field because it depicts culture shock and isolation that occurs in the many aspects of our work. One particular anecdote that shows this is when Hans discusses his reluctance to change his batting technique in cricket. “To reinvent myself in order to bat the American way, that baseball-like business of slugging and hoisting, involved more than the trivial abandonment of hard-won style of hitting a ball. It meant snipping a fine white thread running, through years and years, to my mothered self” (O’Neill, 2008). The novel can be useful in provoking discussion about whether it is important to change, or not to change, deep-seated aspects of oneself when entering into a new culture, whether for study abroad or a career overseas. Is it even possible to change? Hans returns to London to restart life with his wife and son when he is able to hit the ball like an American cricketer. “I’d hit the ball in the air like an American cricketer; and I’d done so without injury to my sense of myself” (O’Neill, 2008). This shows that he wasn’t ready to move on until he felt satisfied that he could integrate his identity into the America. Students and professionals can begin discussions about these beliefs and the importance of immersing oneself into the culture of the host country in order to gain an insider perspective. Netherland is a character profile that guides readers through the lives and struggles of experiencing a new culture. O’Neill’s writing style is vivid and provides depth to the characters and the places. Readers visualize the characters and the scenes as if they are being painted in front of them. Netherland is a great read for pleasure or for discussing the effects that a new culture has on a soul. Stephanie Holleran Master’s Candidate, International Education SIT Graduate Institute stephanie.holleran@mail.sit.edu O’Neill, Joseph. Netherland. New York: Vintage Books, 2008.
Netherland, a novel by Joseph O’Neill, provides a poignant look at a life of blurred identity and displacement. Hans van den Broek is a Dutch man living in post 9/11 New York City. While not explicitly discussing 9/11, the novel explores life in NYC and the emotions and stress from an international perspective. Hans takes readers through numerous trials and tribulations of his new city life. He is befriended by Chuck Ramkissoon, a Trinidadian interested in promoting cricket in the U.S. but also involved in some illegal activities that Hans unknowingly plays a part. The idea of creating a cricket stadium in NYC in a culture that does not play the game is a metaphor for Hans feeling like he does not belong. “In this country, we’re nowhere. We’re a joke. Cricket? How funny. So we play as a matter of indulgence” (O’Neill 2008). Hans and Chuck are bound together in this venture and both struggle with assimilating into American life, yet they have different views on how that difficultly affects them.
The stress of living in America and holding a family together took a toll on Hans’ marriage. “We had lost the ability to speak to each other. The attack on New York had removed any doubt about this. She’d never sensed herself so alone, so comfortless, so far from home, as during these last weeks” (O’Neill 2008). Rachel, Han’s wife, began to feel the effects of culture shock and she moved back to London with their son. Hans remained in New York because he was not ready to return to London. Eventually, Hans returns to London to work things out with Rachel.
Netherland also gives a subtle look into the daily lives of native New Yorkers. “Danielle wandered around my apartment, as was her privilege: people in New York are authorized by convention to snoop around and mentally measure and pass comment on any real estate they’re invited to step into” (O’Neill 2008). Throughout the novel, readers will experience daily life in New York City in a way that is true to the city.
Netherland is useful in the International Education field because it depicts culture shock and isolation that occurs in the many aspects of our work. One particular anecdote that shows this is when Hans discusses his reluctance to change his batting technique in cricket. “To reinvent myself in order to bat the American way, that baseball-like business of slugging and hoisting, involved more than the trivial abandonment of hard-won style of hitting a ball. It meant snipping a fine white thread running, through years and years, to my mothered self” (O’Neill, 2008). The novel can be useful in provoking discussion about whether it is important to change, or not to change, deep-seated aspects of oneself when entering into a new culture, whether for study abroad or a career overseas. Is it even possible to change? Hans returns to London to restart life with his wife and son when he is able to hit the ball like an American cricketer. “I’d hit the ball in the air like an American cricketer; and I’d done so without injury to my sense of myself” (O’Neill, 2008). This shows that he wasn’t ready to move on until he felt satisfied that he could integrate his identity into the America. Students and professionals can begin discussions about these beliefs and the importance of immersing oneself into the culture of the host country in order to gain an insider perspective.
Netherland is a character profile that guides readers through the lives and struggles of experiencing a new culture. O’Neill’s writing style is vivid and provides depth to the characters and the places. Readers visualize the characters and the scenes as if they are being painted in front of them. Netherland is a great read for pleasure or for discussing the effects that a new culture has on a soul.

Stephanie Holleran
Master’s Candidate, International Education
SIT Graduate Institute
stephanie.holleran@mail.sit.edu

]]> By: Lisa http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/2009/04/suggested-readings/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Lisa Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:50:12 +0000 http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/?p=13#comment-6 The following books opened my eyes to other cultures: Junot Diaz's The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Peter Hessler's River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze Tony Horowitz's Blue Latitudes Matthew Kneale's English Passengers Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's Random Family Janet Wallach's Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia The following books opened my eyes to other cultures:

Junot Diaz’s The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Peter Hessler’s River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze

Tony Horowitz’s Blue Latitudes

Matthew Kneale’s English Passengers

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc’s Random Family

Janet Wallach’s Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia

]]> By: Dan Berger http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/2009/04/suggested-readings/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Dan Berger Fri, 29 May 2009 04:46:49 +0000 http://www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org/?p=13#comment-4 I want to suggest two works related to immigrants - <em>The Pickup</em> and <em>The Interitance of Loss</em> - a basic review is at http://curranberger.com/images/articles/berger-reader%5C%27s%20corner-mar-apr%5C%2708.pdf I want to suggest two works related to immigrants – The Pickup and The Interitance of Loss – a basic review is at http://curranberger.com/images/articles/berger-reader%5C%27s%20corner-mar-apr%5C%2708.pdf

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