Review of Two Cultures at Once:

[Pearl Flourish]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Two Cultures at Once:" by James I. Jouppi.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In ”Two Cultures at Once”, James Jouppi takes readers on the journey of his life as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. Set in Thailand during the Vietnam War era, Jim fell in love with Noy, a Thai woman, but their relationship soon took a different turn when he returned to America and got a letter about Noy’s pregnancy. Jim did everything possible within his power to prevent Noy from being married to Joe, but he was only seen as a crazy, obsessive man who was obsessed over someone else's pregnant wife. Will Jim return to Thailand to claim Noy back as his lover, or will he give up on his cross-cultural love? Read ”Two Cultures at Once”: A Long Haul Peace Corps Experience in (A Different Kind of War Book 2)" by James I. Jouppi to find out how Jim navigates through this experience.

This book isn’t just a memoir; it is an emotional and political reflection. Jouppi didn't just tell us what happened, but instead, he took the reader into what it meant to experience struggles, cultural clashes, and moral dilemmas while navigating through two very different worlds and cultures. The story touches deeply on themes like war, cultural misunderstanding, faith, and identity, and these themes set the core for this reflective memoir.

One thing I like about the book is how honest the writing feels and the author’s vulnerability in writing about certain events. He never acted like he had figured it all out; he admitted his doubt, his frustrations, his awkward mistakes, and what he needed to learn more about. Another strength of the book is the author’s deep observation of religion and the quiet strength of local communities, which added a soft beauty to the heavier parts of the book. The author also expresses a real sense of isolation in his writing, especially when he’s caught between being an American outsider and trying to understand the Thai way of life.

What I dislike about the book is how dense and slow it is; there were times when the technical and political commentary distracted me from understanding the book due to how dragged it was, and some scenes felt trimmed and reordered just to keep the momentum of the book going.

The book was well edited. I spotted a few errors in the book, but they didn’t take much from the book’s richness. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, deducting one star mainly because some parts of the book felt dense and slow. While this seems intentional, perhaps meant to make us sit with discomfort, it occasionally interrupted the flow for me, even though it didn’t take too much away from the heart of the story.

I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy memoirs with depth, especially those interested in cross-cultural work and history during the Cold War. It’s not a fast read, but it stays with you long after the last page is turned.

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Two Cultures at Once:
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[maria abdulkadir mursal]

https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewt ... 8#p2809048

[George Bastem]

"Two Cultures at Once" offers a deep, reflective journey through cultural clashes and personal dilemmas. While insightful, the dense narrative and slow pacing may challenge some readers, but the raw honesty and emotional depth make it a worthwhile read for those interested in cross-cultural experiences and historical memoirs.