Review of Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal

Park Cherri · Post by **Park Cherri** » 31 Jan 2023, 15:38

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sojourner to Soldier: The Journal" by Gordon R Schwerzmann.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Many people may prefer to retain journals or diaries as a way to preserve their memories, but I think that photographs are the finest way to do it. Except for the unlikely event that the images are misplaced, there is no danger of them being destroyed by fire or flood. Author Gordon R Schwerzmann's two-year journey across various Asian countries in the 1970s is depicted in the picture book Sojourner to Soldier: The Journal. According to Mr. Gordon, he was first a US soldier who served in the army in South Korea for a year as an officer. Then, with his rucksack and camera by his side, he spent two years traveling throughout Asia.

Mr. Gordon included images of the first seven Asian nations that he traveled to in this book. These nations include Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, Burma, Nationalist China, and Korea. These images were taken before the globe became so civilized; therefore, things have changed since then. Mr. Gordon uses his camera, Len, to capture the wonder, sorrow, agony, and breathtaking beauty of the locations he has traveled. The only written text in the book is the text that describes the images. They also offer stunning images of cities, landmarks, and people going about their daily lives, to name a few.

Actually, I've never come across a book like this before. I chose it because I was curious about the novel's topic, and to be honest, I was astounded. In reality, I had hoped to find some images of his time while serving in the military, but none exist. The ability to interpret pictures requires the ability to comprehend the emotions they convey. A Korean man and a Korean woman are depicted in the book's opening image, demonstrating both their distinctive fashion sense and natural attractiveness. The author listed the next person as a woman named Kai Su, who I believe is a personal acquaintance of Mr. Gordon's. The photographs are nice and clear. You cannot infer that these were taken in the 1970s. There were only a few that were hazy.

Reading this book was incredibly enjoyable for me. Many old photographs that are only available to a select few were made available to me. Korea's Inchon harbor in the 1970s, the Buddha statues carved out of stone, and the Silla dynasty kings of Kjonju are a few examples. Beautiful vistas in the Philippines and Burma are depicted in some photographs. On the market, aboard a bus, or on a train, there are also images of people going about their daily lives. Ananda Temple in Burma is the one that caught my attention the most. They are very intriguing, and the author did well by providing both a close-up image of the temple's structure and a panoramic view of the building and its surrounds. Of all the locations in this book, I can't really pick a favorite, although the Philippines and Japan stood out to me. You can choose this book to read what I've been saying as well.

I have some complaints regarding this book. The author's placement of the descriptions toward the conclusion bothered me. It was quite challenging to look at a picture and then scroll down to see what it was about. Additionally, the use of pages by the author rather than the author writing images 1, 2, etc. was unclear. I don't have any other issues with this aside from these. Yet, I give this a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The photographs were spectacular and fascinating. In particular, several of the images of individuals in the street powerfully depict the suffering of the populace. To go along with these, there are some historical annotations. It's superbly edited because I didn't see any mistakes while reading.

I'll suggest this to those who are familiar with photography. They'll learn the significance of each image thanks to it. Additionally, someone who enjoys historical nonfiction may choose this.

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Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal
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Okafor Prosper · Post by **Okafor Prosper** » 10 Feb 2023, 05:43

The author's journey, especially with serving in the army in South Korea, is an exciting one. There seem to be a lot of those kinds of interesting experiences in this read. Nice review.

Kenneth Onyenwe · Post by **Kenneth Onyenwe** » 10 Feb 2023, 07:08

"Sojourner to Soldier: The Journal" by Gordon R Schwerzmann is an interesting book of a man who sojourned Asia and then went on to tell his story by the pictures he took along the way. Great book!

Chibee Glory · Post by **Chibee Glory** » 10 Feb 2023, 10:09

Gordon R. Schweezmann took pictures of the Asian countries he visited. He did not only capture the beautiful cities but also captured the agony, wonder, and sorrows of the nation. Great review!

Gabriele Mattia Leonardo · Post by **Gabriele Mattia Leonardo** » 11 Feb 2023, 02:20

I've not read this book before but reading your review has got me think that this book is actually going to be worth my while. Nice review!

Joyce Nwaogazie · Post by **Joyce Nwaogazie** » 11 Feb 2023, 05:05

Thanks for the explicitly well-written review. From it, I can be convinced that the book would be nice. Nonetheless, I'm not a fan of such books, so I'll pass. Well done.

Oyedeji Funmilayo · Post by **Oyedeji Funmilayo** » 11 Feb 2023, 05:20

I agree with you that pictures are beautiful ways to keep memories. I look forward to reading and seeing images of the author's sojourn during hid time as a soldier.

Agbata Trust · Post by **Agbata Trust** » 11 Feb 2023, 06:20

You first sentence in your review is the reality. Picture are more appealing as a journal than mere written document. Gordon story seems like and intriguing one to read.

Post by **Famzi Ken** » 11 Feb 2023, 08:01

Indeed pictures are a good way to preserve memories. This means that this book is filled with interesting pictures. I would like to see them. Great review.

Post by **Flourish Sunday** » 11 Feb 2023, 12:12

One of the things that piqued my interest in this book is how Mr. Gordon included images. I like authors the include images to further illustrate their points. Good job.

Amanda Warner · Post by **Amanda Warner** » 14 Feb 2023, 01:53

I love good picture stories, and Mr. Gordon's story seems to be an inspiring and interesting one as he kept a record of all the places he traveled to, even as a military personnel. Nice review.

Post by **Mercy Udeokeke** » 16 Feb 2023, 04:52

Me Gordon seems to have had an interesting adventure in the Asian continent. I love that the book contains images of his adventures this will provide readers with clarity. Great job.

Onyeso Njoku · Post by **Onyeso Njoku** » 16 Feb 2023, 20:44

Your review piqued my attention I look forward to reading this book. I enjoyed your review. Well done.

ViviVivid · Post by **ViviVivid** » 18 Feb 2023, 05:18

Thanks for the elaborate review of a book that only contains pictures and a few sentences describing them. Great job!

Shedrack A · Post by **Shedrack A** » 20 Feb 2023, 18:20

Author Gordon R Schwerzmann's two-year journey across various Asian countries in the 1970s is depicted in the picture book Sojourner to Soldier: The Journal. Sounds exciting!