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FAMILIES OF THE WORLD: FAMILY LIFE AT THE CLOSE OF THE 20th CENTURY. VOL.2, EAST ASIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Helene Tremblay
Reviewed by Graham Draper.
Volume 20 Number 2
This is a marvelous book! Tremblay set a goal of learning about families around the world. At the time of publication she had paid extended visits to over sixty countries; eighty-eight families from Asia and the Pacific are profiled in this second volume. In each case she observed and reported on the relationships within the families, the day-to-day routines that give character to people's existence, and the problems and worries that parents and children endure. While it is easy to find the differences in the people - in wealth, politics, lifestyles and so on - it is the similarities that shine most clearly. As Tremblay points out, "every man and woman who wakes up to start a new day shares with unknown millions elsewhere in the world the same desire to live through it in dignity and faith." Each family profile includes a photograph of the family in a casually posed setting, several additional photographs that illustrate the living conditions and natural environment, and a description of a typical day for the household. A detailed two-page statistical summary and map are given for the countries that the families represent. Without exception the photographs and words convey sensitive, sympathetic images. Tremblay has avoided a Western perspective and has not passed judgement on what she has observed. There are any number of applications for Families of the World in schools. Comparisons among cultures is automatic as soon as the book is picked up, and other approaches are soon apparent. This book is highly recommended. Graham Draper, Markville Secondary School, Markham, Ont. |
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