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Chasing Chaos: My Decade In And Out Of Humanitarian Aid (2013)

by Jessica Alexander(Favorite Author)

4.07 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0770436919 (ISBN13: 9780770436919)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Broadway Books

review 1: There's nothing I enjoy more than reading a well-written book about a subject that I think I know a lot about, that then find that the author either teaches me something new or completely changes my perception about the subject. Jessica Alexander has done that with Chasing Chaos and the matter of humanitarian aid to disaster-stricken areas of the world. As a professional aid worker (not to be confused with church-related or, as she puts it, "tourist" aid volunteers), she shares her life experiences in the field with us here, in a way that can't help but change your attitude about what should and shouldn't be done to assist those countries stricken by disasters. It was profoundly affecting to learn about the extreme conditions these professional aid workers are sometimes... more required to endure, and the vast efforts and piles of aid money that are expended with very little results. It can be an overwhelmingly frustrating -- yet at the same time rewarding -- life for the workers, but immensely hard to maintain any lasting personal relationships. This is a very, very interesting book.
review 2: Jessica Alexander is an engaging and authentic writer who really immerses you into the places she's been to. The book is fairly fast paced and filled with names and places, that keeps you constantly going - if you really want to get information, you may have to read a couple of times. But the insights into humanitarian work are great and it tackles so much of the issues around it, in terms of everyday realities, the true nature of the job as well as all the hype and public perceptions that surround it. If you are looking to get a real sense of what it means to be an aid worker, Jessica has found a way to tell you what not only by narrating tragedies, of which there is a lot - the human element is brilliantly presented! - but through the eyes of a very involved, very emotionally aware protagonist with personal stories and relations throughout. A great read, irrespective of whether you are passionate about humanitarian aid or not. less

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