Ryan DeJonghe - The Avid Reader

I’m keeping this shorter than my other reviews, but that doesn’t lessen the impact this book had on me. If anything, it increases with brevity. The story was exciting, and at times, heart-wrenching. All around, author R. Cyril West has brought about an excellent book: the other reviews, the blurbs, the map—but what created the most effect on me was after reading the book, going back and re-reading the intro by William Beck and reading the end-book historical notes from the author. To realize other human beings, let alone Americans, have been held in secret…well, it is agonizing to think about. Our recent news only highlights how much government involves themselves in covering of secrets that deal with human life, and carnage.

I will add this: I appreciate the author’s involvement with Czechoslovakia in his story. Similar to me recently learning about Chechnya in A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA, so I learned about so much in West’s story. To read this is to raise awareness of many things outside our protected boxes of information.

Thank you to the author for reaching out to me and providing an electronic version of this book for my review.