Define - fieldwork
3. the gathering of anthropological or sociological data through the interviewing and observation of subjects in the field
I finished Mischa Berlinski's novel Fieldwork several weeks ago but I have been putting off writing a review of it. Not so much because I didn't like it, but because I don't know how to tell you about it. But, I agreed to review it for LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's program so I'm going to give it a whirl.
Fieldwork begins when its protagonist -also called Mischa Berlinski - learns about the suicide of an American anthropologist, Martiya van der Leun in a Thai prison. Berlinksi, also an American, is living in Thailand with his girlfriend and writing to earn money. He begins to investigate the story of Martiya and becomes consumed with it. The book then moves into a fairly extensive history of a family of American missionaries living in Thailand for several generations. Then we learn the story of Martiya's young life, education, and how she came to be doing fieldwork among the Dyalo people in Thailand. There are extremely detailed accounts of doing anthropological research and of the Dyalo. Mischa continues his research finally discovering how these stories come together and how Martiya came to be incarcerated.
It took me a a very long time to read this book. I enjoyed the writing, it was very conversational and there is a sort-of quirky humor in the book. The book felt very long and there are many characters. For example, I thought the story about the missionaries was going to be an aside, instead there were over 100 pages about their family history. The fieldwork section was similarly long. I have had a great interest in anthropology since taking some college classes on the subject which increased my appreciation of this part of the story. I don't feel that Amazon's description of this novel as a 'thriller' is terribly accurate. The mystery part of the story seems more like a vehicle for Berlinski to write about what he is interested in and knowledgeable about which happens to be missionaries and anthropology. It is obviously very well researched and Berlinski is a gifted writer. There was much that I liked about this book but I never felt very involved or invested in it.
9 comments:
I also find it difficult to write about books I didn't have much of a reaction to, good or bad. If I hated a book, at least I can explain why. Good job on this one. It still sounds interesting!
Lezlie
I agree that it does sound interesting. I'm curious -- do you think it would have been better if the author had simply written a non-fiction book. It sounds like maybe he just tried to cram too much into one work of fiction.
Too much detail can bog down even a non fiction work. I can imagine it must be difficult for a writer to cut out out what seems fascinating facts, it's a hard call as to when they pile up and become a slog to read or are simply nuggets of information enhancing the story.
The book does sound like it has a certain charm.
Like you and Lezlie, I find writing a review about a book that didn't make too much of an impression on me is difficult. I do think you did a good job here though. I was curious about this book when I first saw it offered on LibraryThing and was glad to come across your review of it. It doesn't sound like a very interesting.
Lezlie, thanks for saying so. I agree completely with your first two sentences. This was just...fine.
Lisa, I was wondering if he originally was going to and then this evolved..I couldn't figure that out. I'm guessing he'll have a bigger readership with this than he would have with a nonfiction book - also I wonder how he could tie the subjects together for a nf book. Hmmm. Good question.
Carrie K, exactly! I'm guessing when you spend so much with the material you do lose some perspective of what others will be interested in.
Literary Feline, thank you. I checked librarything and it seems many people had a more favorable response to this than I - to each his own!
Can't say this book is dragging me in! Subplots which turn into mammoth storie always turn me off a book a little...
Simon, I didn't think my review of it would sent many people off to buy it!
just saying hi - i'm in the middle of this book now. so i'll come back and read your review when i'm done. it is taking me a while to get through but i'm enjoying it so far.
Mel, I'm really looking forward to your review! I bet you'll like it more than I did.
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