It was not an easy read, yet it was undeniably interesting.

There were two distinct stories unfolding simultaneously.

On one hand, there was the story of Alba, a contemporary writer who was grappling with the idea of saving the world in her own small way. She was constantly in a state of turmoil, trying to figure out how she could make a difference in the vast and complex world.

On the other hand, there was the story of Isabel, who was the rectoress in charge of young boys carrying the smallpox vaccine as live carriers to the Spanish colonies in the 1800s. Her task was not only dangerous but also crucial for the spread of the vaccine and the prevention of the disease.

In the end, the noble intent of saving the world dissolved due to egos and miscommunications. However, it is important to note that there was still some work that had been done before that had some good in it. And in the end, lives were indeed changed, albeit in ways that were perhaps not initially expected.

The story serves as a reminder that even the best-laid plans can go awry, but that does not mean that the effort was in vain. It also shows the power of human connection and the importance of communication in achieving our goals.

I wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much (or perhaps even more) if I had chosen to read it instead of listening to it.

It really reminded me a little bit of Gilbert's The Signature of All Things.

There's something about the way the story unfolds and the themes it explores that has a certain similarity.

Maybe it's the sense of adventure and discovery, or the complex characters and their relationships.

Reading allows for a more in-depth exploration of the text, as you can pause and reflect on certain passages, or go back and reread parts that you didn't quite understand the first time.

However, listening to a book can also have its advantages, such as being able to multitask or enjoy the story while on the go.

In the end, it's really a matter of personal preference.

But I can't help but wonder if I would have had a different experience if I had read this particular book instead of listening to it.

I thought I had read this book before, so I wasn't overly concerned about having it prepared for my book group. However, when I went to review it on the last day, I realized that I had not actually read it. Thanks to the pandemic, which had me confined at home, I was able to spend the entire day reading it.

There are two distinct stories within this book. One is about a contemporary author named Alma, and the other is about Isabel from the 19th century. I found Isabel's story to be the most captivating. She embarks on an expedition from Spain to New Spain, South America, and the Philippines, taking care of some orphan boys. These boys are vaccinated with cow pox, and vesicles will be harvested from them to vaccinate others.

Alma's husband, on the other hand, travels to the Dominican Republic to perform good deeds, specifically by planting trees. The two stories are rather loosely tied together. I really liked Isabel's story, as it is centered around historical facts. Alma's story was okay, but I didn't enjoy the constant switching between the two. I would have preferred a shorter book that focused solely on Isabel's story. Nevertheless, it was still a good and interesting read, especially during this time when we are dealing with another pandemic and the importance of vaccinations.

I really liked both stories on their own. Each had its own charm and interesting elements. However, I couldn't help but feel that there wasn't a strong enough connection between the two.

Even though one character was writing the story of the other character, it didn't seem to bring them together in a significant way. I had hoped that they would share something really important and similar, in a major sort of way, I guess.

Another aspect of the book that I really didn't like was the length of the chapters. They were far too long. It made it a bit of a struggle to get through the book at times. I found myself losing focus and having to take frequent breaks because the chapters were so extensive.

I think if the author had shortened the chapters and found a way to strengthen the connection between the two stories, the book would have been a lot more enjoyable.

This was the book I read subsequent to The Last Town on Earth, and I was not nearly as impressed with it.

It was a story revolving around two women - one from the present time and the other from centuries ago. The narrative skipped back and forth between the two stories.

One of the stories was about the discovery of the smallpox vaccine and its dissemination to nations worldwide. This was achieved using a small group of orphan boys who were serially vaccinated as they crossed the ocean. This method ensured the freshness of the vaccine, enabling them to vaccinate the people upon reaching a port, recruit more "carriers", and then move on to another place.

The contemporary story was even less engaging - something about a scientist, AIDS, and a revolution in a South American country. I simply was not captivated by it at all and had to endure a struggle to finish it. I'm not sure why I bothered - perhaps because the other book was so excellent and I persisted in thinking that I must be overlooking something here!

Anyway, my advice would be to definitely read The Last Town, but don't waste your time with this one!

I have a deep affection for books in which two distinct narratives are artfully spliced together. This particular book accomplishes this feat remarkably well, paralleling the captivating stories of two different women.

The writing in both narratives is of a high caliber, completely believable and engaging. The author has managed to create a story that is not only entertaining but also maintains a good pace throughout. It keeps the reader hooked from start to finish, eager to discover how the two storylines will intertwine and conclude.

I found this book to be a truly enjoyable read, and it has left me with a strong desire to explore more of the author's works. I'm confident that her other books will also offer the same level of literary excellence and captivating storytelling.

I am not entirely certain what it was that caused me to hesitate when it came to this book. It took me a considerable amount of time to finally complete reading it.

The author employs a distinct technique to convey her message, although I am still somewhat unclear as to what that message might be. It's like a two-person narrative, where you read about the main character, who is an author herself, and simultaneously about a book that is brewing in the main character's head.

Both parts of the story are interesting enough on their own. However, I constantly found myself longing for more information regarding the part that I had just left, and I was forced to wait for another chapter to obtain a resolution.

Despite this, I would be willing to give another book by this author a try. Nevertheless, I am not in a great hurry to rush out to the bookstore.

I will likely approach the next book with a bit more caution, having been left with some unanswered questions and a sense of anticipation from this reading experience.

The text being very similar to HENDERSON THE RAIN KING, I was completely at a loss to determine the direction the plot might take. It is recommended and worth reading, if only for that aspect. Julia Alvarez is a capable writer, and that's significant.

Before writing a review, I like to see what others have said about the book, their likes and dislikes. Did I like Alma? Not really. But that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate following her story. It's easy to point out that the dual narratives might be didactic, and perhaps they were. I found myself skimming some parts. However, the richness lies in the nuance. As a Peace Corps volunteer, she squarely hits all the critiques of development while still highlighting the need to do it better. That being said, she also skewers the image of the brave rebel who desires to make a proclamation to the world.

At the beginning, I had trouble taking the book seriously, but I felt this way.

My Dominican friend is currently reading the book, and I'm curious about her thoughts. It's refreshing to see a portrayal of a jaded Latina woman who is far from the stereotype. Also, having some knowledge of first-generation immigrants is important to appreciate the nuance that makes the book worth reading. I could definitely relate to her comments about earning street-cred by being in the field but choosing not to because she felt the bonus points for her reputation weren't worth living a life based on others' expectations. Another aspect is the disdain expressed by her character for having so many people expect her to know everything about her country of origin and then deride and accuse her of not being authentic enough when she doesn't. For this reason, the book sometimes seemed like a list of grievances and explanations, but like with Martin Luther or something, they seemed necessary, and I gained a lot from them.

Equally good were the subtexts surrounding the two idealistic men. The extent to which they are willing to sell their souls to corporations and potentially sacrifice their lives to make a positive difference. The ability of Richard to convince himself that the community center would be a boon to the community even though it's financed and used by an AIDS company with shady practices and that skirts around US laws on first human trials.

Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.

Plot alternated story lines - the historic, a voyage to innoculate the new world with small pox vaccine from live carriers (children).

This historical plot seems to be a rather dark and controversial one, raising questions about the ethics and methods used in the past.

The contemporary plot, on the other hand, focuses on a writer whose husband works for an NGO bringing AIDS treatment to the Dominican Republic.

This part of the story might explore themes such as love, sacrifice, and the challenges faced in the fight against a global epidemic.

However, like other Alvarez novels (except In the Time of Butterflies), it sort of misses with me.

Perhaps it's the lack of a deeper emotional connection or the failure to fully engage my imagination.

Nevertheless, the alternating story lines do offer an interesting contrast between the past and the present, and there may be aspects of the novel that others will find more appealing.

Overall, it's a somewhat disappointing read for me, but it may still have value for those who are interested in the themes and historical context presented.

I truly appreciated learning about the smallpox expedition. It was quite an interesting topic.

However, I have to admit that I was a bit put off by the way the book flipped the plots.

Whenever I would start to become really interested in Alma's plot, suddenly Alvarez would switch over to Isabelle's.

And just when I got hooked on Isabelle's story, Alma would come back again.

I do understand that there are connections between the two plots, but I personally prefer to focus on one protagonist or plotline at a time.

It can be a bit distracting to constantly be switching back and forth.

Perhaps if the author had found a more seamless way to integrate the two plots, it would have been a more enjoyable reading experience for me.

Nevertheless, I still gained some valuable knowledge from listening to the unabridged audio.

Unlike some other books, such as "Sarah's Key" where chapters alternate between two different stories and one story overshadows the other in terms of interest, both the stories in "Saving the World" were truly compelling.

I thoroughly enjoyed the back-and-forth story-lines as they were related in themes and interacted brilliantly with each other. The framing story features a main character, Alma, who is very similar to Julia Alvarez. She is a woman author, native to the Dominican Republic, now residing in the United States. Alma is currently going through a crisis in her life. She has lost interest in the superficial family saga book that she has been contracted to write. Instead, her focus shifts to an historical event involving another woman, Isabel, who was also going through a similar crisis of confidence in life and its meaning.

Isabel was a real person, although very little is known about her except that she was present on an expedition from Spain to the New World in 1804. The purpose of this expedition was to introduce the smallpox vaccine to the Americas and eradicate the disease. Amazingly, this was achieved by transporting 22 orphan boys from Spain to the New World and using them as the necessary vaccine carriers. They were inoculated in succession as the ship crossed the Atlantic. It was an audacious plan at the time and even more so from our modern perspective. The idea of using poor children, some as young as 3 years old, who were unable to consent or understand what was happening to them seems grossly immoral.

And yet, isn't something similar happening today to a certain extent? Drug companies often test their new drugs in third world countries. Alma sees the connection because her husband is involved in a project near an AIDS clinic in the Dominican Republic. Both Alma's story and Isabel's raise interesting and provocative questions. What does it really mean to "save the world"? Is it possible to act for good in the world without inadvertently hurting someone? Is a worthy end, like the elimination of disease, a justification for dubious means?