"Fieldwork," by Mischa Berlinski, was first published in 2007. To my knowledge is his only novel. The book has been sitting on my shelf, for a long time, but not since 2007. But long enough to wonder if I had read it before.
I was happy to discover I had not. Using himself as a fictitious character, Berlinski goes on an anthropological journey into Thailand, interviewing both the natives, and a missionary family, The Walkers, to get at what really happened that caused female anthropologist Martiya van der Leun to murder the Walkers' son, David. When reaching this point, I was forced to question the veracity of all having gone before, and wonder whether or not Christianity is something missionaries should force on the unenlightened. Or maybe leave them be. As seen here, the cost of enforcement is devastating.
Whether or not this was Berlinski's intention, it rang true with me. As did his gorgeous descriptions of Thailand--forests, woodlands, rains storms, and the true nature of the title, which is not being ensconced in some ivory academic tower--that comes later, when wrtitng up one's findings--but rolling around in the muck and mire of another culture, absorbing it into one's pores until it becomes almost yours. Anthropologists returning to their native land after years abroad have a hard time readjusting.
"Fieldwork" is densely plotted and worded. It is not an easy book but an extremely stimulating one. How I missed this in 2007 I will never know. I have lamented the quality of fiction this year, so my suggestion to those sharing my malaise is to go back to the past, like here, and discover that good fiction still abounds.
"Fieldwork" is not current, but remains one of the best reading experiences I have had this year.
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