A Cruel Paradise: Journals of an International Relief Worker

I was excited to read this book as it promised a real look at the world of international humanitarian relief. In that aspect, I was not disappointed. Having spent time in the field, this is one of the most honest accounts of what life is actually like working in a conflict zone. It discusses the frustrations as well as the rewards, and touches on aspects that often go overlooked such as the relationships between aid workers. Olson's non-chalance in describing security situations reflects someone who has spent an extended time in war environments, and her tone will be familiar for those who have experienced the same. If you are new to aid work, the book may be slightly overwhelming, however don't be discouraged (you'll likely relate to it after a few years). For something that really shows what life in relief work is like, this is a great book.

On the downside, calling the writing awful is being kind. Starting from the very beginning spelling problems and awkward punctuation (an excess of exclamation marks especially), make it nearly impossible to read. Because the book is centered on the author's work with Doctors without Borders (more commonly known as Medecins sans Frontieres), I had expected her to at least get the acronym for it right. On the very first page she writes "MFS" instead of "MSF," and continues to do so periodically throughout the book. I am not one who is normally distracted by silly grammar issues, however I was amazed that this even made it by an editor. I was ready to put it away after the first 20 pages, but the topic managed to keep me engaged.

If you are bothered by bad writing, don't read this. If, however, you want to know what life in relief work is really like, this is a very accurate account.