For (un)Official Use Only: it happened on the way to war

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Notes on Barcott's: It Happened on the Way to War

I am working on a book review of Rye Barcott's excellent It Happened On the Way to War: A Marine's Path to Peace Following are my notes on the first two-thirds of the book.

My thoughts after meeting Rye Barcott.
FAO Africa Recommended Reading List
ATTENTION: IS THE LIST ABOVE TOO OVERWHELMING? I'VE PUT TOGETHER A STARTER READING LIST HERE.

It Happened on the Way to War: A Marine’s Path to Peace Review

p. 27
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead, legendary anthropologist and one of Rye’s mother’s favorite quotes.

p. 28
Rye relates his moment of spiritual realization when “the force swept me into its embrace” following his near-drowning episode during his adolescence.

p. 30
“Reach out to a bunch of people and eventually a few will give a damn.” Ted Lord’s advice to Rye as he seeks a way to spend the summer in Rwanda

p. 33
Rye related the travails of networking: “I had spent 3 hours for a 10-second offer of an introduction that might be able to take me where I needed to go.”

p.36
Rye’s Rwanda plans are scrapped and professor Jennifer Coffman suggests Kibera. Rye’s begins anew searching for the next 5% who gave a damn.

CHAPTER TWO FIST BUMP (BIG GOTA)
p. 38
“Did poverty alone make people less trustworthy” Rye ponders after conversation with Kenyan businessman on flight to Nairobi.

p. 40
Kenyan couple can’t comprehend that someone would only have one child (BIG cultural difference).

p. 41
Rye gets his Kenyan nickname: Omosh, based on the time of day he was born from Elizabeth and Oluoch.

The Challenge of Nationhood by Tom Mboya

p. 42
In the book, Mboya points out that: “the second generation leadership would inherit a framework that is so dependent on personality that it cannot survive the person on whom it depended. This could bring with it a phases of deep political problems—tribalism, personality cults, foreign intervention and even military coup. (march 1960, six years after Kenya’s independence. 4 months later he was assassinated.

p. 45 “Sheng” is the language of the youth in the slums, an extreme slang of Swahili

p. 46 The railroad tracks separate Kibera from Nairobi (part of the Kenya-Uganda railway). VERY poorly maintained.

p. 47 The thumbs-up is a sign of the NDP and ‘mzungu’ means white person.

p. 48 Rye describes the sounds of life inside Dan’s compound in Kibera. These sounds could be the start of a movie…or even combine into a song for the movie: boy’s shout, dog’s bark, man’s cough, door slaps shut, water splashes, broom whisks, pickaxes ping, stereos rattle music etc…

p. 53 While it seems a little callous that Rye is so hesitant to share/donate his money to someone like Baba Chris (even though it’s only $7)…it’s also important to note that mids don’t get paid anything at all (or at the most $50 a month).

Friday, May 13, 2011

It Happened on the Way to the Exchange: A Marine's Book Signing

This past Tuesday a friend and I went to a book signing at the Henderson Hall Exchange with Rye Barcott, the author of It Happened on the Way to War: A Marine's Path to Peace. We were the only two officers there amongst a squad from a corporals' class and so we were privileged to listen in to their discussion with the author about his books. And as the son of a Marine, I am always pumped to be around the young men and women that comprise the backbone of the Corps.

One can tell a lot about someone from the way in which they interact with their subordinates and Barcott was genuinely excited to be in the company of young Marines (Barcott served 4 years active duty and 4 years reserve in the Marine Corps). He spoke about the peaks and valleys of his time in the Corps and in Kenya candidly and sincerely. It was refreshing to hear such humility from such a gifted speaker and an individual who has done so much, who has given so much of himself. As Barcott concluded, he prodded the Marines for questions and solicited their opinions. Before their group left, he shook each of their hands and handed them his business card, asking if they would let him know what they thought of his book or if they just had questions for him.

I am already about 30 pages into the book and I can tell you that the 9 years during which Barcott penned this memoir, during which he poured his heart and soul were well spent (Not to mention that it's been lauded by none other than Stephen Pressfield! Stephen Pressfield! is one of my favorite writers, period...well except for Killing Rommel which I found hard to get through).

The premise of Barcott's work in Kibera is derived from the idea that "Talent is universal; opportunity is not." I will update this blog periodically with my thoughts as I work through his book and see how this idea evolved.

For my West Coast readers, Barcott will be doing a book signing this Monday, 16 May at Warwick's in La Jolla, CA. It's an event that will be well worth your time.