DNF - Did Not Finish.

I made two attempts to read this particular book, but unfortunately, I couldn't progress beyond the very first part.

What I discovered was that it seemed to be a rather random collection of diary-like discussions, with perhaps a touch of pen pal communication thrown in for good measure.

The lack of a clear narrative structure or a coherent storyline made it extremely difficult for me to engage with the text.

As a result, I ultimately decided to give up and seek out a different book that would better capture my interest and hold my attention.

It's always disappointing when a book fails to live up to expectations, but sometimes it's necessary to recognize when something just isn't clicking and move on to something more fulfilling.

Hopefully, my next literary adventure will prove to be more successful and enjoyable.

In the 1950s, Brooks found herself bored during her child and teen years in the insulated Australia.

To escape this boredom, she began writing to pen pals in the US, France, and Israel.

As she grew up, she pursued a career as a foreign correspondent, covering conflicts in Bosnia and the Middle East.

Along the way, she married fellow newsman Tony Horowitz.

When her parents sold their long-time home, Brooks sorted through the debris of their lives and discovered the saved letters from her early correspondence.

She realized that she hadn't heard from these friends in 20 years and wondered what had happened to them.

Driven by curiosity, she embarked on a journey to track them down.

Through this process, she was able to bring closure to her early years.

The writing in this account is very well done, and it stands out as a better work than her later fiction.

It offers a fascinating glimpse into her past and the power of reconnecting with old friends.

Overall, it is a captivating and engaging read.

Geraldine Brooks is truly one of my all-time favorite authors.

Discovering this early memoir of hers, which dates back to before she became a renowned novelist, was an absolute delight.

She vividly recounts her experiences of growing up in what she describes as "boring" working-class Australia.

This is done through her engaging correspondence with pen pals from various parts of the world, including the US, Australia itself, France, and the Middle East.

As her personal story unfolds, so too do the lives of her pen pals.

First, we get a glimpse into their lives during Brooks' youth, and then we follow along as their stories continue to develop in her adult life.

The writing throughout this memoir is simply lovely, captivating the reader and drawing them into Brooks' world and the lives of those she connected with through her letters.

It's a wonderful read that offers a unique perspective on growing up and the power of human connection.

In this memoir, Geraldine Brooks takes us on a captivating journey through her life by reflecting on her interactions with her childhood pen pals.

As a devoted fan of her remarkable fiction writing, I found this memoir to be a truly enriching experience. It allowed me to get to know this favorite author on a deeper and more personal level.

Moreover, having also had pen pals during my own成长 years, I could easily relate to her experiences. It was a delight to reflect back on my own memories of writing those letters to pen pals in far-off foreign lands.

In today's digital age, where emails and texts are sent and forgotten in an instant, the significance of those old handwritten letters cannot be overstated. I still cherish the shoebox filled with those precious missives, and I can still recognize the unique cursive writing style of each of my old friends.

These letters are not just pieces of paper; they are a tangible connection to a bygone era and a testament to the power of human connection through the written word.

Geraldine Brooks' memoir serves as a beautiful reminder of the importance of these simple yet profound friendships and the lasting impact they can have on our lives.

A truly lovely account of growing up in the suburbs of Sydney and experiencing life vicariously through penfriends across the globe. Even though she might have been around 15 years older than me, it vividly brought back a plethora of memories. I thoroughly relished the contrast between her own life and those of her penfriends, both the real ones and the lives she envisioned they led in the USA, Israel, and rural France. Additionally, the gradual uncovering of her father's background added an interesting layer to the story. There were both funny and sad tales throughout. I have a great liking for her writing style. It is clear, engaging, and highly readable, perhaps unsurprising considering her background as a journalist and foreign correspondent. Her words paint a vivid picture that draws the reader in and makes them feel as if they are a part of her world.

Geraldine Brooks has crafted a remarkable memoir that defies the traditional linear biography format.

Inspired by the old pen-pal letters she received in the 1960s, Geraldine takes us on a journey through her childhood. She vividly recalls her sense of longing to break free from the insular world she inhabited and connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

As an adult, Geraldine embarks on a quest to find her old pen pals. She travels to Israel, France, and the US, seeking out those who once shared their lives with her through the written word. Through her encounters with these pen friends, Geraldine weaves together her own memoirs with their stories and the broader world issues of the time.

The result is a memoir that is not only immensely readable but also deeply interesting. Geraldine's writing is engaging and accessible, drawing the reader in and keeping them hooked from beginning to end. Whether you are a fan of memoirs or simply interested in learning more about the power of human connection, this book is well worth a read.

I read this right after reading her book, 'Nine Parts of Desire', which I truly loved. The way she presented the topics in that book was both captivating and eye-opening. I've also delved into two of her fiction books, and I have to say that they were both good enough to keep me engaged. However, this particular work had its moments of being a tad bit boring. But overall, it was still good and interesting for the most part.

I just wished that maybe there was more mystery and intrigue regarding what became of her pen pals. The search for them could have been more adventurous, adding an extra layer of excitement to the story. But then again, this is non-fiction, and I understand that she had to write everything the way it actually happened, whether it was intriguing or not. It's a fine line between presenting the truth and making it engaging for the readers.

Despite its few shortcomings, I still appreciate the effort she put into this book and the insights she provided. It's always interesting to read about real-life experiences and the connections we make with others, even if they are through the written word.

Most of the book vividly recounts the author's childhood in Australia.

We get to know about the various pen pals she writes to during that time.

Since I have visited Australia myself, I found that part of the book particularly enjoyable.

It is, in a sense, a coming of age story.

It details the trials and tribulations of puberty through the letters she exchanges with those abroad.

As the author grows into an adult, she becomes a journalist and wholeheartedly pursues her writing career.

However, only a small portion of the book is dedicated to the search for the pen pals and the travels to meet them as adults.

Overall, it is a very enjoyable read.

In these times of Covid when travel abroad has been postponed, it helps to feed the travel lust within us.

It allows us to vicariously experience the author's journey and adventures.

It's a book that not only entertains but also provides a sense of escapism.

It was quite interesting, yet it was merely her second book. In fact, I derived greater enjoyment from her later works. ESPECIALLY People of the Book, which stands out as one of the finest books I've perused throughout the entire year.

Reading about her upbringing in Australia during the late 1950s and early 1960s was captivating. Moreover, I relished the manner in which she intricately wove in all her correspondence with her foreign pen pals.

I would indeed recommend this book, but not with the same intensity as I would recommend her novels. The reason being that while this particular work has its merits, her novels possess a certain allure and depth that set them apart. Nevertheless, it is still a worthwhile read for those interested in her writing style and personal experiences.

Foreign Correspondence – Geraldine Brooks

3 stars

Foreign Correspondence is a captivating memoir that delves into Geraldine Brook's childhood in Australia.

She vividly describes how, in the midst of her suburban life, she had a burning desire to expand her horizons.

This led her to correspond with pen pals in several different countries.

As an adult, she looks back and reflects on how her early letter writing played a significant role in shaping her career as a journalist and war correspondent.

In the final third of the book, Brooks takes us on a journey as she recounts her efforts to meet her former pen pals as adults.

This memoir is both pleasant and insightful. Brooks demonstrates great skill in tying together the individual stories of her various pen pals.

It reminds one of the episodic structure found in People of the Book.

Overall, it offers a unique perspective on the power of communication and the impact it can have on one's life.

Geraldine Brooks had an interesting upbringing in Australia during the 1960s. Thanks to a suggestion from her father, she began corresponding with a local girl, thus starting her life as a pen pal. Eventually, her pen pal list expanded to include an American girl, an Israeli Jewish boy, an Israeli Arab boy, and a French girl.

However, the book fails to present a unified narrative. We learn about her various pen pals and get detailed accounts of how she met each of them, but apart from the American girl, there is very little information about her actual correspondence with the others. The Israeli boys are almost forgotten, and she makes it clear that there isn't much to share about her French pen pal, who is a huge disappointment. Even when her sister moves to the US and they become pen pals, we don't get to know much about that either.

While I was disappointed not to see the world through the eyes of these teenagers who lived through a time of change, I still thought the book was decent enough for a 3-star rating. But things take a turn for the worse when Geraldine heads to Columbia University. The author's narrative becomes a jumbled mess, jumping ahead and back in time, adding random tangents about her life and family, and even passing judgment on her pen pals' lives.

Geraldine's own life was full of interesting experiences. She grew up in Australia as it transformed from a British outpost to a vibrant nation. She corresponded with an American during the Nixon administration, two boys in Israel during the Arafat era, and a girl in southern France. She also worked as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East at a time when women were just beginning to enter the workforce and pursue higher education. This should have made for a captivating read, but instead, it's just a boring and disjointed mess.

I have perused several of Brooks' books, and among them, The People of the Book holds a special place in my heart. Therefore, I relished delving into the account of her family in Sidney, Australia, and learning about her youthful passions.

She had a profound love for all things Jewish, a fascination with microscopes and plants, an enthusiasm for Star Trek, and, of course, a penchant for writing. This included corresponding with penpals from various corners of the world.

As an adult, she took the initiative to track down some of these penpals, enabling them to meet face-to-face. It came as a surprise to me that she had also worked as a foreign journalist in perilous locations such as war zones.

Overall, it was a captivating read that provided valuable insights into Brooks' life and experiences.