Sweeping, epic look at a forgotten corner of the world. Not perfect, but I love the ambition. ( )

what a great mess of a book. Big, trying to cover everything in the Sudan. Romance, famine, adventure, war, techie airplane fantasies, white guys pushing religion, bombs, tru-love, escape, god-fearing, land-loving, and best of all: ticks-bugs-scopion bites. More characters than you probably could ever know in your hometown--with a focus on aid workers (of course) not on the aided.

read the thing. ( )

I found this book totally fascinating. I have no background in the culture, environment, or political situation of the Sudan; yet, I feel I have in some sense been there. Caputo provides a multi-layered picture of the people and places of this war-torn country. My mind's eye could easily envision the land and people; I could almost taste and smell the dust and sweat and had clear mental images of the major characters. The political situation is nothing short of a mess: "In Sudan the choice is never between the right thing and the wrong thing but between what is necessary and what isn't"

I found the characters, however, to be closer to symbols for the many factions working in Africa than real people. The dialogue was particularly distracting in places; it just didn't ring true. Nevertheless, these characters well depicted the forces at work -- the American do-gooder, the war lord, the cynic, the evangelist, the rebel leader, the old-rich, the new-rich, and the victim.

One review suggested that Caputo could better tell the story as non-fiction. He is certainly knowledgeable, and after doing a bit of research, the situation in the Sudan seems accurately presented. His strength is not in writing dialogue that is true; however, I would never have read this book if it wasn't presented as a novel. The relationships developed by the characters keep a reader's interest while providing a sound picture of the Sudan.

I loved the title of the book and if there is one thing I will definitely take from the book, it is the illustration of the conviction and fervor of those who were certain they were right -- so certain that the consequences never matter. At the same time, there are those who were never sure of the decisions they had to make, yet they acted. Both could be said to be carrying out acts of faith. Some because they were sure and others because there is simply nothing else to do. ( )

Engaging characters and interesting historical context. ( )

This long but rewarding book is not particularly well written, but it's a compelling story (or set of stories), with complex characters dealing with a set of important issues. Most of the main characters are involved in providing aid to Sudan, plus two characters directly involved in the conflict, one a Muslim tribal headman who fights on the side of the government, and a nominally Christian rebel leader. All of the characters act out of some kind of faith, even if it's a secular faith. Most are unequivocally convinced that the end justifies the means, and all have to deal with the unintended consequences of their "acts of faith," especially a single-minded aid provider and an evangelical Christian from Cedar Falls, Iowa (unfortunately a stereotyped Iowa town). The author effectively juggles these overlapping stories, but perhaps excessively drives home his point about the dangers of single-minded faith commitments. In its conviction that God & the Devil are one & the same in Africa, it takes religion with deadly seriousness at the same time that it fundamentally questions it as a valid motivation for action. In this and in its implications for Americans' roles in the world at large, it is reminiscent of Graham Greene's The Quiet American. ( )