Because We Are

This book means a lot to me. In fact, I have already read it twice! It is a compelling story, has an intricate plot line, and uses vivid word pictures. The main characters grabbed my heart, and the depictions of Haitian life made me almost feel like I have been there. It brought to light the devasta......more

This is an amazing visual step right into the slums of Haiti. Almost everything was very familiar to me as one who has been a relief worker in Haiti, both in La Gonave and the mainland. Ted does a great job of immersing you into this land and examining the mental, physical, and social strife that ex......more

This book's greatest strength is in the character development of the protagonist; Oswald does a remarkable job here. The portrayal of Haiti is also fascinating. I didn't find much new here, but the descriptions were accurate (from what I understand) and vivid. The weakness was the mystery that forms......more

WHAT A BOOK!!! First of all, I would like to start off by stating that I received a finished copy of this book thanks to the Goodreads First Reads program almost a year ago, but it was not until now that I took the time to read it and, WOW, what I was missing! This book delivered in so many ways. It d......more

I'm struggling to explain why I liked this book so much, but I'm going to give it a try. I don't know anything about Haiti. I still don't know if this book gives a faithful rendition of the place or the people, but I hope it does, because it's now my sole reference point. I kept looking up places, na......more