kiggenstane's review against another edition
4.0
The Window Seat is engaging without being unsubtle and politically insightful without sacrificing its nuance. It's one of those books that makes you realize just how much we accept as a default without really questioning it or wondering why, and how such defaults differ from place to place, from person to person. Some of the essays feel a bit out of place and, at least to me, seem to dilute the overall themes of the work, but even so, each piece is individually worthwhile, and many build on each other in fascinating ways.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘To fly alone as a child was my first taste of what it might feel like to be on my own in the world.’
What can I tell you about this beautiful collection of non-fiction essays? Ms Forna writes about the past, of significant events, of her own experiences. She invites you to think about colonialism, to revisit your own childhood experiences while reading hers. I see Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979 through different eyes, I think about the importance of sleep while reading of Ms Forna’s experiences of insomnia.
‘Sleep left me in the year 2001. I realise now that my sleeplessness coincided with my decision to become a writer.’
I am taken on journeys around the world (in the window seat, of course) and am reminded of the importance of ancestry and the pain of displacement. I see a different view of the Trump inauguration and read about the only qualified vet in private practice in Freetown. Diverse topics indeed.
I finished this compilation of beautifully written reflective pieces, take a deep breath, and return to my own world.
So far, the only other work of Ms Forna’s I have read is ‘Happiness’. I have added Ms Forna’s other books to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
What can I tell you about this beautiful collection of non-fiction essays? Ms Forna writes about the past, of significant events, of her own experiences. She invites you to think about colonialism, to revisit your own childhood experiences while reading hers. I see Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979 through different eyes, I think about the importance of sleep while reading of Ms Forna’s experiences of insomnia.
‘Sleep left me in the year 2001. I realise now that my sleeplessness coincided with my decision to become a writer.’
I am taken on journeys around the world (in the window seat, of course) and am reminded of the importance of ancestry and the pain of displacement. I see a different view of the Trump inauguration and read about the only qualified vet in private practice in Freetown. Diverse topics indeed.
I finished this compilation of beautifully written reflective pieces, take a deep breath, and return to my own world.
So far, the only other work of Ms Forna’s I have read is ‘Happiness’. I have added Ms Forna’s other books to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
100onbooks's review against another edition
Reviewed it on BookTube: https://youtu.be/06-iLaH2DRs?t=562
sreddous's review against another edition
5.0
This is a poignant and challenging (in a good way!) set of essays. Aminatta Forna has a unique perspective on life in richer countries and poorer countries and how they are similar and different. There's a ton of wisdom to absorb from this collection.
austen_to_zafon's review against another edition
5.0
I was immediately sucked in by the first line: "Here are four words you rarely hear today: I love to fly." Yes! I do too! Here was someone who, like me, still loves the excitement and adventure of travel, even with all its trials and inconveniences. This first piece had me nodding along and laughing at her stories of flying as an unaccompanied minor in the days when flying was still pretty glamorous and there were only "stewardesses." I'd never read anything by her before and this gave me a taste of how open, observant, and funny she is. Here is an excerpt:
The rest of the essays are astonishing in their breadth, tone, and length. She goes from wry commentary on human nature to clear-eyed takes on racism, war, and the stark differences and interesting similarities between her life in London and Scotland and that with her father's family in Sierra Leone. She's travelled widely and not just as a tourist. She often recalls childhood experiences. One short piece deftly encapsulates the experience of being scared by things that adults assume will be "fun" for kids. At a Disney on Ice performance at the age of six, she is snatched from her seat by a skater costumed as a character she loved, the gentle bear Baloo from The Jungle Book, and taken out on the ice. It reminded me of the scene with the scary Santa and elves from A Christmas Story.
One of my favorite pieces is about a veterinarian in Sierra Leone who is a friend of hers; the only pet vet in the country. It highlights the difference between how people in Sierra Leone treat animals and how we do in the UK and the US, and how white people sweep in and judge and want to "save the animals," but then disappear, having made little to no difference except for swelling their own sense of superiority and importance. This is similar to how white people handle human issues in other countries. Instead of taking the time to understand or value an unfamiliar culture, or to see how our own culture also has issues we should be addressing, we want to be "saviors" who have it all figured out.
Forna covers so much ground in this book that, it's hard to encapsulate it in a short review, but I enjoyed every piece, learned a lot about places and people I've never visited, and came away with a new perspective on several issues. Well worth a read. I will be reading some of her other work.
Thanks to NetGalley, who gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
To fly as an unaccompanied minor was to enter a topsy-turvy world where children were, for once, the most important people. We boarded first and had our own reserved rows, always aft, close to the galleys and the staff. We were served our meals ahead of all the other passengers, and we were given tuck boxes of games, colouring books, comics, pencils, and, inevitably, a die-cast model Boeing 747 or DC-10. The flight crew became our surrogate parents. The stewardesses were our mothers, only more patient and more elegant than our real mothers. These Stepford mothers possessed bright smiles, soothing voices and limitless supply of snacks. The never ignored us, rather came whenever we called. The uniformed captain already looked like a hero, he commanded three hundred tons of aircraft and two hundred passengers. He did not bother much with us until after take off, when his smooth voice sounded over the tannoy: 'This is your captain speaking.' And we raised our heads to listen. For six hours, we lived inside the perfect patriarchy.
The rest of the essays are astonishing in their breadth, tone, and length. She goes from wry commentary on human nature to clear-eyed takes on racism, war, and the stark differences and interesting similarities between her life in London and Scotland and that with her father's family in Sierra Leone. She's travelled widely and not just as a tourist. She often recalls childhood experiences. One short piece deftly encapsulates the experience of being scared by things that adults assume will be "fun" for kids. At a Disney on Ice performance at the age of six, she is snatched from her seat by a skater costumed as a character she loved, the gentle bear Baloo from The Jungle Book, and taken out on the ice. It reminded me of the scene with the scary Santa and elves from A Christmas Story.
Baloo up close was not the Baloo of the Jungle Book film or even Baloo of the ice. This Baloo had a face made of plastic, and hard plastic paws. And his eyes were not soft, brown, bear eyes. Through the cut-out holes of the mask, I could see the small, blue eyes of a man. I cried out. I wriggled. And I fought. But Baloo was strong. Baloo held on tight. And then we were on the ice, speeding away from everything I knew. The audience clapped and cheered. 'Take me back,' I cried. And Baloo, my once beautiful Baloo, dug his fingers and thumbs hard into my body, leaned forward and hissed with hot breath into my hear: 'Shut up, you little shit!'
One of my favorite pieces is about a veterinarian in Sierra Leone who is a friend of hers; the only pet vet in the country. It highlights the difference between how people in Sierra Leone treat animals and how we do in the UK and the US, and how white people sweep in and judge and want to "save the animals," but then disappear, having made little to no difference except for swelling their own sense of superiority and importance. This is similar to how white people handle human issues in other countries. Instead of taking the time to understand or value an unfamiliar culture, or to see how our own culture also has issues we should be addressing, we want to be "saviors" who have it all figured out.
Forna covers so much ground in this book that, it's hard to encapsulate it in a short review, but I enjoyed every piece, learned a lot about places and people I've never visited, and came away with a new perspective on several issues. Well worth a read. I will be reading some of her other work.
Thanks to NetGalley, who gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
raincityreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
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