De Grazia: The Man and the Myths By James W. Johnson with Marilyn D. Johnson Reviewed by Mark D. Walker Over the years I’ve brought family and friends to the “DeGrazia Gallery” in the Sun Historic District in Tucson, Arizona. You knew you were in the Southwest with adobe buildings in a desert setting, including a chapel in honor of Father Kino, and an artist’s residence. We’d enter the massive gates at the entrance, which were replicas of the Yuma Territorial Prison, to view the multiple collections that included oils, watercolors, sketches, sculptures, ceramics and jewelry. And yet I never […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: All
Book Review – Fiction: Dead Cow Road
BOOK REVIEW OF “DEAD COW ROAD” By Mark D. Walker by Mark Wentling (Peace Corps Honduras 1967–69, Togo 1970–73; PC Staff: Togo, Gabon, Niger 1973–77) Page Publishing March 2017 506 pages $24.93 (paperback), $9.99 (Kindle) I’ve been looking forward to the author’s next book after thoroughly enjoying “Africa’s Embrace”, which is part of his African Trilogy. I resonated with the author’s story as we are both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and pursued careers promoting overseas development. The author’s work and travels over a span of 46 years have taken him to 54 African countries. The author also worked with USAID, the […]
Continue readingBook Review – About Writing: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work By Mason Currey Reviewed by Mark D. Walker I learned about this book from a speaker at the Phoenix Writers Network and began reading some of the 161 short profiles from famous authors and artists each evening, which I found inspirational as well as an opportunity to rethink my approach to writing and how to be both creative and effective. I’ve often wondered how other authors and artists do meaningful creative work and earn a living, which many of these profiles deal with. According to the publishers, this book brings together “Writers, composers, painters, choreographers, […]
Continue readingNewsletter: February 2019
I’m pleased to announce that my Guatemalan filmmaker friend, Luis Argueta, was selected to receive the Harris Wofford Global Citizens award! Luis was the focus of my recently published article in Revue Magazine, http://www.revuemag.com/…/luis-argueta-telling-the-stories…/ and together with fellow RPCV, Ken Lehman, we submitted letters in support of Luis’s nomination. I plan to attend the Peace Corps Connect Conference at the University of Texas in Austin this June 22nd-23d, where the prestigious award will be presented! https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/articles/announcing-the-2019-harris-wofford-global-citizen-award-winner-luis-argueta-of-guatemala?fbclid=IwAR3GZiCdIgihLpEX5zh-uK783H_8Ae27s8NhEBmg2YqJi4JpHBBzTy-z7PU. Read the newsletter . . .
Continue readingBook Review – Non-fiction: Connectography: Mapping the Global Network Revolution
Book Review of “Connectography: Mapping the Global Network Revolution” by Parag Khanna Reviewer, Mark D. Walker “Connectography” helped me understand, “which lines on the map matter most” in this complicated and ever changing world we live in today. The author explains why the borders we’re used to focusing on have become irrelevant in understanding the new directions foreign trade and foreign affairs are taking. Khanna guides us through emerging global networks in which mega-cities compete for the market share. A series of innovative maps depict these new trends of connectivity. Maps which go beyond the normal nation-state divisions, but include […]
Continue readingBook Review – Non-fiction: The Center of the World
The Center of the World by Jacqueline Sheehan Reviewed by Mark D. Walker Having just completed my own memoir, much of which takes place in Guatemala and having all three of our children born there, Jacqueline Sheehan’s novel was a must read. I also wrote about the devastating impact of the violence in the 1990s and its root causes of this sad period in Guatemalan history, which this author introduces in beautiful prose. The story explores the mother-daughter bond which crosses cultures against the backdrop of one of the most violent times of Guatemala’s history, Young Guatemalan adoptee Sofia is […]
Continue readingBook Review – Latin America: Bolivia 30: Life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the 1960s
Bolivia 30: Life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the 1960s Frank T. Darmiento (Bolivia ), author and editor CreateSpace April 2015 172 pages $24.99 (paperback), $9.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Mark D. Walker (Guatemala 1971–73) Frank Darmiento, the author of Bolivia 30 provides a unique perspective of life in the Peace Corps in Bolivia by sharing in great detail his own story of the training process in the U.S. as well as when serving in Bolivia with his young wife. His book also includes dozen stories of others who were in his training group, which added to the texture and broadened […]
Continue readingBook Review – Non-fiction: Blue Desert
Book Review of “Blue Desert” by Charles Bowden Reviewed by Mark D. Walker Following in the steps of Edward Abbey, the author touts the majesty of the desert, as well as the darker side of development. At the very beginning of the book, he expresses his love and concern for the desert, “….My home is a web of dreams. Thousands move here each year under the banners of the New West or the Sunbelt. This is the place where they hope to escape their pasts, the unemployment, the smoggy skies, dirty cities, crush of human numbers. This they cannot do. […]
Continue readingBook Review – Latin America: Blue Country
Blue Country By Mark Wentling Reviewed by Mark D. Walker I’ve been looking forward to the author’s next book after thoroughly enjoying “Africa’s Embrace,” which is part of his African Trilogy. I reviewed his book “Dead Cow Road,” which took place in Somalia, so I’m familiar with the author’s ability to spin an interesting yarn about far off places. Although the author was a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, he was also a volunteer in Honduras for five years, so I’ve been waiting for a story that took place in Central America. The author’s work and travels span more than […]
Continue readingBook Review – Latin America: Between Inca Walls: A Peace Corps Memoir
Between Inca Walls: A Peace Corps Memoir By Evelyn Kohl La Torre Reviewed by Mark D. Walker After writing my own memoir, “Different Latitudes, My Life in the Peace Corps and Beyond”, I began paying more attention to this genre and have reviewed several books of fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. This book interested me as well because I’ve traveled through Peru several times over the years and my Son-In-Law is Peruvian. The book is well written as the president of the National Association of Memoir Writers, Linda Joy Myers describes, “Evelyn LaTorre creates a masterful portrait of place―from the […]
Continue reading