PTPI Blog

Question answered by Karen DeIulis Hoch, Managing Director, Americas Region and Conferences at PTPI

3. Do you identify with any of the characters in Strength in What Remains?  Who and why?

This is a difficult question to answer.  I was struggling to find characteristics that I have that truly match a character in the book.  I found more of a piece of me in each character, such as the tenacity to overcome obstacles in which Deo possessed, and not giving up on achieving a goal such as Sharon.  But, there is one character who comes back to haunt me, so to speak, and that is the airport stranger that helped Deo at the Shannon Airport in Ireland on his first trip to New York.  She assisted him in dealing with the police and arranged to sit next to him on the flight. In the end though, she abandons him when deplaning in New York.  One comes to the conclusion that she did not want to inherit this huge problem of trying to help Deo, a frightened refugee.  She demonstrated kindness to Deo, but yet that was all she was willing to offer.  In her shoes, I’m afraid I would have done the same thing.  This is something that I believe many Americans can understand based on our society of skepticism.  I wonder now (after reading Strength in What Remains) if placed in the same situation as the airport stranger, would I behave differently?  My hope and desire is that yes, I would.

The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of  People to People International or that of PTPI’s Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.

Special Announcement: Join the conversation and you could win a free copy of the next book the Global Book Club will be discussing.  Leave your comment on any of the posts related to Strength in What Remains between January 18 and January 25, 2010 and you will be eligible to win!  The winner will be chosen at random and notified the week of January 25, 2010.

Question answered by Ruth Gardner, Membership Assistant at PTPI

2. Why do you think Tracy Kidder chose Strength in What Remains as the title to Deo’s story?

The title of this book, Strength in What Remains, in my opinion is a perfect fit for Deo’s story. Reflecting back to the section of the book where Deo is trying to escape from the Hutu militia, Deo witnessed unspeakable sights, he thought his family was dead, he had to go days without food or water, and every day he lived in fear and isolation. After experiencing such tragedies it would be fair to assume that Deo wouldn’t have any strength remaining, that he would give up, but no he prevailed. In essence the strength that did remain was echoed through Deo’s escape from the genocide in Burundi to New York and how he fought to become the person he is today.

(Strength in What Remains takes its title from William Wordsworth‘s Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood):

What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;

The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of  People to People International or that of PTPI’s Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.

Question answered by Rebecca Nunn, Assistant Director of Administration at PTPI

1. What is your overall impression of the book?  Would you recommend it to your peers?

I had such a wonderful time reading this book.  The story pulled me in from the first chapter and I just couldn’t put it down!  Although I cannot relate to Deo’s story, (I don’t think anyone can unless you have been through such a tragedy), the author Tracy Kidder was able to tell Deo’s story in such a way that you don’t feel pity for him but inspired by him to help others because of his amazing story.  I have been recommending this book ever since I started reading it because it is so inspirational and I think everyone who reads this book can find a valuable lesson for their own life.   I feel like I see refugees and people coming to America in a different way.  Before I would think “they probably know somebody, they are fine”.  But after reading Strength in What Remains, I feel more inclined to ask if they need help.

The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of  People to People International or that of PTPI’s Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.