A challenge rewarded - The Narrow Road to the Deep North

I was given this book by an English colleague, after I had returned to live in Australia, as an interesting read by an Australian author. It also happens to have won the Man Booker Prize in 2014. But it was such a challenging read - reliving in gruesome detail, lives of prisoners of war, who were forced to build a Burmese railway in an unrealistic time frame, managed by the Japanese, who were doing this for their Emperor and country. The story was told through the eyes of a young medic Dorrigo Evans. He had been caught in a lustful affair while engaged to a most suitable future wife. This set the scene for the investigation of love, values and purpose in life against the cruel backdrop of the end of the Second World War. During the war we lived the individual struggles of both prisoners and guards and we also followed the unexpected twists of their lives after the war. Richard Flanagan is a very descriptive writer, both in terms of the physical environment, but also the inner questions and concerns of men, who may or may not be able to actually vocalise them. It is very interesting that his father was a survivor of The Line, as this Burmese railway was called. He must have shared his memories in a very therapeutic manner with his son, and it does not seem a coincidence that he died on the day it was published - it certainly would have been way too painful for him to read. Somehow, there is a deep authenticity that this book brings to the reader - and the reality of the story leaves little room for hope. The nasty twists and turns of life are truly lived out in ways that are quite horrific. So it was on holiday in Tasmania that I was able to complete reading this book, spurred on by Richard's Tasmanian heritage and high status in his home state. So my summary is that this book is so genuine, that it engenders gratitude and deep appreciation for everything I have in my life - and it helps me to keep aiming for the opportunity to live out the values that are important to me - and be even more thankful that I have a real chance to do this in my lifetime. I feel very lucky.