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BWW Reviews: HELLO AMERICAN LADY CREATURE by Lisa L. Kirchner is Fascinating

By: Jun. 06, 2014
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Lisa L. Kirchner's new memoir, Hello American Lady Creature: What I learned as a Woman in Qatar is a completely honest and very absorbing story. Recently published by Greenpoint Press, it provides a real insight into Middle Eastern culture. Kirchner's first person narrative is close-up view that can only be garnered by someone living and working in the area. Her readers are fortunate to share her perspective.

Kirchner relocated to the Qatar with her husband, Geoff in hopes jump-starting his career as an international journalist. She accepted a job with Carnegie Mellon University where her marketing expertise was an asset to the college as they launched their campus in Qatar's Education City.

The book is absolutely intriguing. Kirchner's cultural experiences in the Middle East are very revealing. Her vivid recollections are thoughtful and wonderfully written. She often compares her Western ways to the people she meets in Qatar and shares observations about everything from food and pets to careers and relationships.

"Qatar was in this massive state of construction the whole time I was there," Kirchner writes. "It felt like the opposite of Zen, with everything trying to become something else. In fact, it was Zen boot camp. Because the reality is, everything's changing all the time anyway, even when it's not so obvious."

And, it is also Kirchner's life that encounters massive changes. With a failing marriage, she is living in a culture that shocks her feminist sensibilities. While living overseas, she attempts to seek qualified professional assistants, find personal confidents and adapt to Qatar's very different norms.

You will become captivated by Kirchner's trials and sometimes amused as she navigates and succeeds at seemingly impossible tasks. Her smart, no-holds-barred writing style does full justice to her story. I hope that Lisa L. Kirchner's ability to be introspective, thoughtful and humorous will fuel her future writings and that readers can look forward to more of her works.

For more information on Greenpoint Press, visit http://www.greenpointpress.org. To purchase Hello American Lady Creature, What I learned as a Woman in Qatar, visit http://www.amazon.com/Hello-American-Lady-Creature-Kirchner/dp/098869686X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402071505&sr=8-1&keywords=Lisa+L.+Kirchner. You can also learn more about Lisa L. Kirchner by visiting her web site at www.lisalkirchner.com.



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