Bibliography by Author

Givens, John (South Korea, 1967–69).

The Plum Rains & Other Stories. Dublin: Liffey, 2010. Library of Congress Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010444321

Publisher’s description: “The Plum Rains & Other Stories brings to life the uniquely beautiful and violent world of Japan in the last decade of the seventeenth century. The tales include young ‘peony girls’ yearning for a life outside the pleasure quarters, a rogue samurai seeking solace in Zen Buddhism, a teenage sociopath carving a bloody swathe across the landscape, and many more….”

Goetzfridt, Nicholas J. (Fiji, 1983–85).

Indigenous Literature of Oceania: A Survey of Criticism and Interpretation. , Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1995. Library of Congress Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/94037081

Publisher’s description: “Oceania has a rich and growing literary tradition. The imaginative literature that emerged in the 1960s often reflected the forms and structures of European literature, though the ideas expressed were typically anticolonial. After three decades, the literature of Oceania has become much more complex, in terms of style as well as content; and authors write in a multiplicity of styles and voices. While the written literature of Oceania is continuously gaining more critical attention, questions about the imposition of European literary standards and values as a further extension of colonialism in the Pacific have become a central issue. This book is a detailed survey of the expanding amount of critical and interpretive material written about the imaginative literature of authors from Oceania. It focuses on commentary and scholarship concerned with the poetry, fiction, and drama written in English by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, and Australia. The criticisms have appeared in academic books and journals since the mid-1960s. They have developed to the point at which critical issues, related to decolonization and the expression of ideas without having to first satisfy foreign expectations, often determine the direction of such discussions. Entries are grouped in topical chapters, and each entry includes an extensive annotation. An introductory essay summarizes the evolution of Pacific literature.”

Goodwin, Stefan (Nigeria, 1965–67).

Africa in Europe. 2 v. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2009. Library of Congress Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2008024523

Publisher’s description: “Vol. 1: Antiquity into the Age of Global Exploration; Vol. 2: Interdependencies, Relocations, and Globalization.”

Gottlieb, Alan (Ecuador, 1980–81).

Ultimate Excursions: A Novel. 1st ed. Boulder, Colorado: Paandaa Entertainment, 2007. Library of Congress Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2007924065

Publisher’s description: “Seeking a respite from the stresses of Peace Corp life in rural Ecuador, Tim Lake embarks on a vacation to Peru that starts as an innocent journey that devolves into chaos. Ultimate Excursions will keep readers transfixed. At once gripping, darkly funny, and ultimately redemptive this magnificent novel is part thriller, and part meditation on what makes us tick as human beings.”

Goyal, Rajeev (Nepal, 2001–03).

The Springs of Namje: A Ten-Year Journey from the Villages of Nepal to the Halls of Congress. Boston: Beacon Press, 2012. Library of Congress Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2012009321

Publisher’s description: “In 2001, Peace Corps volunteer Rajeev Goyal was sent to Namje, a remote village in the eastern hills of Nepal. Brimming with idealism, he expected to find people living in conditions of misery and suffering; instead, he discovered a village full of happy, compassionate people. After organizing the villagers to build a water-pumping system in the midst of the dangerous Maoist war that had gripped the country, Goyal learned how complex rural development truly is. He also witnessed how the seemingly lowliest villager can hold profound power to influence not only his or her own village but also the highest rungs of government.”

“Years after this experience, Goyal applied the lessons he learned in Namje to his work on Capitol Hill. Approaching Congress as if it were a Nepalese caste system, Goyal led a grassroots campaign to double the size of the Peace Corps. His unique approach to advocacy included strategically positioning himself outside the men’s room of the Capitol building waiting for lawmakers to walk out. As a result of his determined bird-dogging, Goyal managed to make allies of more than a hundred members of Congress and in the process, he ruffled the feathers of some of the most powerful figures in Washington. But due to his efforts, the Peace Corps was granted a US$60 million increase in funding, the largest dollar-amount increase in the organization’s history.

“On this path to victory, Goyal endured a number of missteps along the way, and, as he reveals, his idealism at times faded into fear, anger, and frustration. In this honest and inspirational account of his life as an activist, Goyal offers daring ideas for how the Peace Corps and other organizations can be even more relevant to our rapidly changing world. He urges environmentalists, educators, farmers, artists, and designers to come together and contribute their talents. Filled with history, international politics, personal anecdotes, and colorful characters, The Springs of Namje is a unique and inspiring book about the power of small change.”