In this absorbing and delightful memoir, Lawrence Brane Siddall takes the reader to Poland where he taught English in a high school as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1997 to 1999 following his retirement. He calls it his late-life adventure. At sixty-seven he was one of only 450 senior Peace Corps volunteers out of 6,500 worldwide. With an eye for detail he vividly describes the challenges he faces in the classroom, his struggle to learn Polish, his initial feelings of isolation in adjusting to a new culture, and the close friends he eventually makes. He has since returned to Poland twice to renew friendships, participate in a school reunion, and attend two weddings. Siddall also weaves brief flashbacks into his narrative, including a glimpse of his own high school years and a vignette about the death of his mother in China in 1932. The longest flashback tells of an amazing 11,000-mile overland trek from Europe to India in 1956. Traveling with a friend in a VW Beetle, their route takes them through the Middle East at a time of political instability, making for a risky venture. With the events of that time still reverberating today, Siddall s keen observations are as relevant now as they were then. His account of working his way back to the U.S on a freighter is a colorful final chapter in his five-month-long odyssey.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Many people spend their retirements sitting back and enjoying life. Lawrence Siddall couldn t stand the inactivity and joined the Peace Corps. Two Years in Poland and Other Stories is the story of a retiree who is one of four hundred and fifty senior citizen volunteers. He speaks as an older man adapting to a new language and culture with plenty of anecdotes through his life that will intrigue many a reader. Two Years in Poland is a work of poignant and entertaining story telling, highly recommended. --The Midwest Book Review. www/midwestbookreview.com
The author is to be commended for writing this fascinating account of joining the Peace Corps in his sixties and ending up in Poland, where some of my ancestors came from. It is beautifully written and highly informative. Rich historical background adds a critical dimension to the author's stories. With his detailed descriptions, such as his small apartment in the school, his classroom and students, his colleagues, his friends, the city markets, the changing weather, I felt very much a part of his daily life. The author's stories are made even more real by revealing to the reader his honest feelings as he struggles to cope with problems in the classroom and adjusting to life in a strange new country. What makes this book even more engaging are the stories about the author when he was growing up. Having been born in China, the account of his mother's death there in 1932 is especially poignant. I also particularly liked his entertaining hitchhiking story as a college student. And then there is his wonderful account of driving overland from Europe to India back in 1956, and amazing and fascinating trip. I could feel the author's excitement every step of the way. The reader then returns to Poland where he follows the author as he develops close friendships, finds that he enjoys teaching, makes a memorable trip to Russia, and eventually comes to the end of his two-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer having mixed feeling about going home. (A. Radzinka, Chicago, Il) --Reader review
The author's account of teaching English in Poland as a Peace Corps volunteer following his retirement is both fascinating and inspiring. He s an excellent writer with an adventuresome nature who was willing to leave home for two years at the age of 67, something few of us retirees would even think about. He sets an example for those who tend to play it safe in life. I can recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning not only about other cultures, travel and history, but also about how one succeeds in eventually overcoming a language barrier and adjusting to the cultural differences in a foreign county.
In contrast to the author's adventure in later life is his marvelous account of driving in a VW Beetle from Europe through the Middle East back in 1956, a trek no one could safely make today. As it was, the author and his companion faced potential danger on many occasions. I have been to the Middle East several times and the author's descriptions of the land, people and food brought back many pleasant memories.
I found this memoir to be a great read.
( S. Westlake, San Francisco, CA)
--Reader review
This book was most engaging. I could hardly put it down and read it in two days. The author is a fine storyteller with a knack for rich detail that brings his stories up close and vivid, turning an ordinary encounter into a unique experience The reader is immediately drawn into the author's life as he struggles in the beginning to negotiate the hazards of the classroom, to overcome his sense of isolation, and to make modest headway in learning a new and difficult language. His stories took me back to when I was teaching abroad as a younger person and I could easily identify with his experience. I admire his brave spirit to undertake a Peace Corps assignment at an older age, though I guess 67 is not so old these days. Though he was a lot older than most of his fellow volunteers, he fit in well and made close friends. The reader also gets to know the author's Polish friends, some of whom he has kept in touch with. In telling us about them the dialogue flows naturally and brings his characters to life. The author has many stories to tell about earlier times in his life. These stories clearly enhance the overall narrative. I was particularly moved reading the vignette about his mother s death in China in 1932. His longest story, comprising several chapters, tells of driving with a friend from Oslo, Norway through the Middle East to Delhi, India in 1956. This account makes for compelling reading and I was sorry when his trip came to an end. The final leg of the author s journey was spent working his way home on a freighter, an adventure all its own. (M. Steinmetz, Cleveland, OH) ----Reader review
Lawrence Brane Siddall's memoir, "Two Years in Poland," is a valuable read on several fronts. At the most basic, it is good story telling, well written and easy to follow, a tale of one man's adventure learning a new culture and discovering inner resources that he may not have known he had before his epic journey to Swidnica, Poland. His 11 weeks of pre-service Peace Corps training, in which he made friends with fellow volunteers and lived with a host family, both eased the way into a new language and brought home the enormity of his two-year odyssey.
The author is to be commended for writing this fascinating account of joining the Peace Corps in his sixties and ending up in Poland, where some of my ancestors came from. It is beautifully written and highly informative. Rich historical background adds a critical dimension to the author's stories. With his detailed descriptions, such as his small apartment in the school, his classroom and students, his colleagues, his friends, the city markets, the changing weather, I felt very much a part of his daily life. The author's stories are made even more real by revealing to the reader his honest feelings as he struggles to cope with problems in the classroom and adjusting to life in a strange new country. What makes this book even more engaging are the stories about the author when he was growing up. Having been born in China, the account of his mother's death there in 1932 is especially poignant. I also particularly liked his entertaining hitchhiking story as a college student. And then there is his wonderful account of driving overland from Europe to India back in 1956, and amazing and fascinating trip. I could feel the author's excitement every step of the way. The reader then returns to Poland where he follows the author as he develops close friendships, finds that he enjoys teaching, makes a memorable trip to Russia, and eventually comes to the end of his two-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer having mixed feeling about going home. (A. Radzinka, Chicago, Il) --Reader review
The author's account of teaching English in Poland as a Peace Corps volunteer following his retirement is both fascinating and inspiring. He s an excellent writer with an adventuresome nature who was willing to leave home for two years at the age of 67, something few of us retirees would even think about. He sets an example for those who tend to play it safe in life. I can recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning not only about other cultures, travel and history, but also about how one succeeds in eventually overcoming a language barrier and adjusting to the cultural differences in a foreign county.
In contrast to the author's adventure in later life is his marvelous account of driving in a VW Beetle from Europe through the Middle East back in 1956, a trek no one could safely make today. As it was, the author and his companion faced potential danger on many occasions. I have been to the Middle East several times and the author's descriptions of the land, people and food brought back many pleasant memories.
I found this memoir to be a great read.
( S. Westlake, San Francisco, CA)
--Reader review
This book was most engaging. I could hardly put it down and read it in two days. The author is a fine storyteller with a knack for rich detail that brings his stories up close and vivid, turning an ordinary encounter into a unique experience The reader is immediately drawn into the author's life as he struggles in the beginning to negotiate the hazards of the classroom, to overcome his sense of isolation, and to make modest headway in learning a new and difficult language. His stories took me back to when I was teaching abroad as a younger person and I could easily identify with his experience. I admire his brave spirit to undertake a Peace Corps assignment at an older age, though I guess 67 is not so old these days. Though he was a lot older than most of his fellow volunteers, he fit in well and made close friends. The reader also gets to know the author's Polish friends, some of whom he has kept in touch with. In telling us about them the dialogue flows naturally and brings his characters to life. The author has many stories to tell about earlier times in his life. These stories clearly enhance the overall narrative. I was particularly moved reading the vignette about his mother s death in China in 1932. His longest story, comprising several chapters, tells of driving with a friend from Oslo, Norway through the Middle East to Delhi, India in 1956. This account makes for compelling reading and I was sorry when his trip came to an end. The final leg of the author s journey was spent working his way home on a freighter, an adventure all its own. (M. Steinmetz, Cleveland, OH) ----Reader review
Lawrence Brane Siddall's memoir, "Two Years in Poland," is a valuable read on several fronts. At the most basic, it is good story telling, well written and easy to follow, a tale of one man's adventure learning a new culture and discovering inner resources that he may not have known he had before his epic journey to Swidnica, Poland. His 11 weeks of pre-service Peace Corps training, in which he made friends with fellow volunteers and lived with a host family, both eased the way into a new language and brought home the enormity of his two-year odyssey.
On another level the 256-page book book can be read as a primer for those who have contemplated joining the Peace Corps, especially those over the age of 50. Siddall, who volunteered from 1997 to 1999 following his retirement, was one of only 450 senior volunteers out of 6,500 worldwide. Age, however, didn't seem to be a factor in his position as a high school English teacher in the small Polish community. He was readily accepted by fellow volunteers and colleagues of all ages. Culture shock, however, hit on his first day in his new home when he learned that he had to not only arrange for but pay for his textbooks himself and would be teaching grammar as well as English, something he hadn't prepared for. Siddell learned to make his way in the classroom, dealing with too much talking among students and even cheating. In the end the experience enriched his life in ways he hadn't contemplated.
Throughout the narrative Siddell, who was born in China where his father was a medical missionary, intersperces flashbacks of other personal adventures, including an 11,000-mile trek from Europe to India in 1956 and other life experiences that led to his volunteer spirit and zest for living. --Darcy Alvey, Editor, LifeAfter50.com
About the Author
Born in China where his father was a medical missionary, Lawrence Siddall grew up in Oberlin, Ohio. He is a 1952 graduate of Oberlin College and holds advanced degrees from the University of Connecticut and the University of Massachusetts. A retired psychotherapist, he lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Journey of a Lifetime,
By N.Nunez (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Two Years in Poland and Other Stories: A Sixty-Seven-Year-Old Grandfather Joins the Peace Corps and Looks Back on His Life (Paperback)
This unassuming account of a retiree in the Peace Corps takes you on an unexpected ride. The detail with which Siddall recounts his experience in Poland as a teacher in addition to his other adventures captures more than the imagination. The connections forged with characters and places read as if they were your own. For as much detail of the countries visited and the historical context, this memoir inspires us to see more.
If you're seeking a fresh view of volunteer service, interested in travel, fond of or curious about post WWII history, or simply want to go on an adventure from your living room, this book is for you.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A work of poignant and entertaining story telling, highly recommended,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Two Years in Poland and Other Stories: A Sixty-Seven-Year-Old Grandfather Joins the Peace Corps and Looks Back on His Life (Paperback)
Many people spend their retirements sitting back and enjoying life. Lawrence Siddall couldn't stand the inactivity and joined the Peace Corps. "Two Years in Poland and Other Stories" is the story of a retiree who is among one of the four hundred and fifty senior citizen volunteers. He speaks as an older man adjusting to a new language and culture with plenty of anecdotes through his life that will intrigue many a reader. "Two Years in Poland" is a work of poignant and entertaining story telling, highly recommended.
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