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Standing at the Crossroads

4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 · rating details · 25 ratings · 17 reviews

Two people, two faiths, one hope, one destiny . . . .

A white woman and a black man, stranded in the desert in a land laid waste by an undeclared war. She is a campaigning academic and believes in justice, absolutely. He is a barefoot librarian and believes in books, just about. Hunted by The Warriors of God, they must take refuge in the mountains and learn to live with the

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Hardcover, 159 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Permanent Press (NY)

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Jul 08, 2011 Friederike Knabe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: uk-lit, africa

A 'story man' walks from village to village across bare African lands, carrying a heavy book bag over his shoulder, filled with an odd collection of English language classics that visitors gave to him when passing through the villages. The books have opened his mind, like windows into another world: "I have read their books and told their stories very many times. I understand them, have seen the places that made them, seen the lives they want to live..." Charles Davis' new novel, STANDING AT THE...more A 'story man' walks from village to village across bare African lands, carrying a heavy book bag over his shoulder, filled with an odd collection of English language classics that visitors gave to him when passing through the villages. The books have opened his mind, like windows into another world: "I have read their books and told their stories very many times. I understand them, have seen the places that made them, seen the lives they want to live..." Charles Davis' new novel, STANDING AT THE CROSSROADS, set most likely in Sudan, is an heart-rending example of superbly imaginative storytelling. It is centred around a gripping and often disturbing survival story of three travelers - man, woman, child - pursued by one of the violent local militias, 'The Warriors of God'. Claiming Truth and God to be on their side, they are roaming the countryside, devastating everything and killing everybody who stands in their way. Intimately woven into the action-filled narrative are richly modulated, visually expressive descriptions of the spectacular and highly varied desert landscape. I found myself drawn into Davis' novel from the first page.

"I dream books in the waking world too, [...] walking with the characters from my books, picturing them at my side." So much so that the narrator introduces himself with "Call me Ishmael", referring to Herman Melville's MOBY DICK. He also loves telling "sea stories", comparing the hostile immensity of oceans to that of the desert: "the surface of the desert is furrowed like a sheet of iron, each ripple rusted by the fast falling light of the setting sun, the dips filled with lengthening shadows, so it looks to me exactly like I imagine the sea must be, like after line of waves stretching away, the crest capped with a froth of golden light and sparkling air, as if aspiring to become another element altogether..."

En route to an abandoned village where he hides his books in a "well of books", Ishmael notices Kate, a white American scholar, traveling alone. Women alone are in great danger in this land where bandits and rebel groups are in control. Both escape an attack by the Warriors, and Ishmael, against his better judgment yet committed to his own moral code, accompanies the young woman. Kate is passionate about documenting with her photographs the atrocities she is witnessing in this 'undeclared war'. Once the world knows, she argues, governments will act. Ishmael questions her rationale and the wisdom of being seen taking pictures. "Pictures, in any case, preserve nothing because they do not engage the imagination like words. Only the imagination can make things live again..." Two very different world views clash: images against words; activist versus quiet "witness" - both needing to survive.

After hiding from their pursuers in another devastated village, a mute young girl attaches herself to them and the trio, in effect, turns out to be more able to deter the hunters than any of them could have achieved alone. They will eventually discover a hidden oasis on the other side of the mountain range... where spirit and body has a chance to recover, where solace and some form of love could grow, and, at least for a while, they feel like having found Paradise ... yet, they can hear the guns firing and detect the white flowing gowns of the Men on Horses in the distance...

Through Ishmael's voice, Davis subtly weaves into the narrative political, philosophical and spiritual reflections, accentuating the differences between the two protagonists. The author plays with metaphors, allegories and symbolisms in this novel, not only when imagining his heroes' paradise. For example, the weight of his books, both literally and metaphorically, afford him strength in the ongoing struggles with his childhood friend, turned vicious enemy, Jemal, the leader of The Warriors of God. Or, hinting at the life-saving, water-giving well that saves the Biblical Ishmael, Davis' Ishmael hopes that his "well of books" can also save him and his companions. (less)

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Apr 16, 2012 Kristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is lyrical and intense at the same time, if that is possible. The protagonist, an African man who is the traveling local librarian, must escape the Warriors of God in his war-torn country. In his flight, he becomes connected to a white, idealistic woman named Kate and an abandoned African girl named Mara. In spite of the seriousness of their situation, the first-person narration provides a strangely calming, pragmatic look at the world and their situation. While Kate shows determinatio...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Kristine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This is a book that stuck with me as if it were something I experienced rather than simply read. I was very excited when I learned I would be getting it through a Goodreads give away, and it's definitely a book that lived up to my excitement. I loved it--loved the writing with its allusions to classic literature, and the characters, and the descriptions of place that left me feeling the African heat and dusty trails. Davis brings to life an African story that feels unfortunately universal and pu...more This is a book that stuck with me as if it were something I experienced rather than simply read. I was very excited when I learned I would be getting it through a Goodreads give away, and it's definitely a book that lived up to my excitement. I loved it--loved the writing with its allusions to classic literature, and the characters, and the descriptions of place that left me feeling the African heat and dusty trails. Davis brings to life an African story that feels unfortunately universal and puts a face on the horrors of the government-sponsored genocide that are too much a part of the landscape of post-colonial Africa. That makes it a difficult book to read.

It is not a hopeful book. The characters relentless drive to avoid the death that pursues them through the pages of this relatively short book is punctuated by the Barefoot Librarian (who I don't believe is ever given a more proper name, other than the somewhat flippant "Ishmael") musing on the difference between western and African attitudes, and why western attitudes don't work in Africa. Kate and the Barefoot Librarian (TBL) are definite foils for one another, with Kate interested only in "what is true" and seeking to change the world with her truth, and TBL seeking truth in fiction, seeking the truths behind the fictions we tell ourselves, and trying to simply live in a troubled world. In one exchange the pair discuss necessary beliefs. That discussion, for me, encapsulated most clearly the critique of western though. TBL states,

"Your necessary belief, Miss Kate, is that people are important. ... I have read very many books. Look in any history book, read any newspaper, listen to any news broadcast, and you will see that people are not important. You can kill them in their thousands, their tens of thousands, let them die in their millions, and it does not make any difference. But I understand that if we are to go on with living, we must pretend people are important. It is a necessary belief."

The rest of the book demonstrates that human lives are, for the most part, unimportant. The suffering and death of innocent people, who only wish to live their lives, doesn't matter at all to the larger forces of the world. Only one life, in the end, is truly important to the larger scheme of things, and her life doesn't have the impact she hopes for. Kate's actions illustrate beautifully the law of unintended consequences.

I hope that this book isn't true, but I know enough of what's going on in Africa to know it's true enough. For that reason it is a challenging, heartbreaking read. This is a book that reminds me to be grateful for all I have and, in spite of the rather unhappy ending, to look for my own way to make the world a better place. There is much in this world to love, and much in this world to fear and hate, and "Standing at the Crossroads" tells a story of both. It reminded me of the humanity of people who live far away and have very different lives and attitudes from my own, and forced me to think about the unintended consequences of the actions I take in my privileged, insulated life and how they interact with those other, very human, very important lives far away.(less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cultural, current_issues, relationships

His name is not Ishmael, but he is a witness, narrator of Charles Davis’ novel, Standing at the Crossroads. The story begins with man, woman and child, in Africa, surrounded by people who believe in God and guns. It ends soon after, when the past of their meeting, rescue and flight has been told, when the world, large and small, receives and perceives the telling. And therein lies a beautiful journey, the scenery of African Paradise, and the story of what we tell; how we make sense of things; wh...more His name is not Ishmael, but he is a witness, narrator of Charles Davis’ novel, Standing at the Crossroads. The story begins with man, woman and child, in Africa, surrounded by people who believe in God and guns. It ends soon after, when the past of their meeting, rescue and flight has been told, when the world, large and small, receives and perceives the telling. And therein lies a beautiful journey, the scenery of African Paradise, and the story of what we tell; how we make sense of things; why and where we belong.

Kate is white, opinionated, idealistic, determined to see justice done. The narrator is black, a reader and carrier of books, a teller of stories that peel back layers of truth. He and Kate argue over whether violence is senseless, or whether the list of villages pillaged and burned is unpredictable. They wander the African desert, fleeing soldiers, hiding from helicopters—she seeking a town where her tale might change the world, and he just seeking to be true to his vision of the world. Each knows different truths and tells them different ways. But in the end, relationship is what lasts, the only known and knowable—though even that can be colored in different tones.

The story is told through the eyes of an African man. His language is built on a foundation of classical books; his metaphors come from the land and from fiction; his strength from carrying books; wisdom not only from reading but from telling; he sees an ocean in the desert’s waves and no God but that of stories.

Purpose comes from Kate, who is sure the world will stop injustice when it sees what’s going on. Ishmael, ever-pragmatic, asks if we don’t already know and keep our eyes turned away, as if that’s the only way we can live with ourselves. Kate wants answers. Ishmael wants story. Kate wants action. Ishmael’s just watching the path. Meanwhile the plains spread truth, shifting and thin, while mountain climbs reveal how far we’ve come.

Standing at the Crossroads is a mountain climb of a story, not one of Ishmael's disparaged airport novels of "flat" simplicity. It’s a Paradise lost of human endeavor writ small in the lives of the few. It’s a feast of words in famine and fresh water in the desert of oft-repeated news. And it’s beautifully told. There’s an “eternal present” in books where all the characters continue their lives through story; Charles Davis’ characters deserve to be heard and to live on in his words.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Permanent Press, in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Feb 18, 2011 Keith Bryan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying that I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads, and I am so very glad I did because it saved me from having to purchase this book with any of my hard earned money.

Allow me to begin the true explanation of my review by stating that I have friends in Africa and know what kind of struggle it is to live and work in that type of environment. I understand that angle of this book and I do not think the author did a bad job of describing it to his readers. However,...more Let me start by saying that I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads, and I am so very glad I did because it saved me from having to purchase this book with any of my hard earned money.

Allow me to begin the true explanation of my review by stating that I have friends in Africa and know what kind of struggle it is to live and work in that type of environment. I understand that angle of this book and I do not think the author did a bad job of describing it to his readers. However, this book was completely lusterless otherwise. The main character was a book loving man who tended to dislike the real world compared to his fictional one. He read himself into a book infested corner to try and escape the torments of life in a war torn country. He was subjected to the kind of “missionary” that gives Christianity a bad name by being so legalistic they forget how to love their neighbor as themselves. Not to mention this “missionary’s” inability to forgive or even teach forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He (GOD) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).” This makes the main character extremely cynical towards any type of faith, plunging him into a world where books are the only things he holds faith in (basically replacing God and the Bible with books, which is ironic really). His knowledge of books is admirable though, and his quoting Alice in Wonderland totally made my day until I realized I had more of THIS book to read.

The character’s childhood friend ended up with a mix of Muslim and Christian beliefs that warped his sense of decency and created a force for true evil as well as creating a very boring and cliché antagonist. Carving up women on Earth doesn’t get you 70+ babes in paradise, not if you know your Bible; but if it did, they should have to be the women you carved up in my own humble opinion. The other supporting cast remained nice and obscure, touching on the somewhat diluted way that Americans tend to view the world. The book also touches on the fact that Americans want to help by using sabotage and sneaky measures that will backfire more often than not. The lead female character should have realized that Rome (being an idiotic and cruel government) wasn’t built in a day, and Rome’s ruins prove that it wasn’t torn down in one either.

Overall: This book was simply not worth the time and effort I put into it. Luckily it was short, because if it had not been, I would have abandoned it instead of reaching the end. Perhaps you will look more kindly on the characters and this author’s plot than I did. You might even be able to get this copy eventually because it will not become a part of my permanent library. (less)

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Feb 21, 2011 Leah Kautz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads, read-in-2011

I received this book as a Goodread's First Read from Permanent Press. Thank you!

First and foremost, this book was superbly written, in such a way that I felt as though I was reading a freely flowing poem rather than an novel. The narrator, an African man known only as The Barefoot Librarian, tells us early on that people have often told him "that I speak too formally, my language dated like the writers to whom it has been modeled", which is an excellent segue into the following text, doted with...more

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Feb 28, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book from a Library Thing Early Reviewer giveaway and at first I'll admit I was sort of ambivalent about it. I am in the habit of requesting any book whose synopsis or cover peaks my interest in any way. When I won this book of all the ones I had entered, my reaction was merely "Oh, alrighty,".

However, once I began reading I was immediately drawn to the main character. He is never given a name, instead asking that we call him Ishmael, in reference to his favorite book, Moby Dick....more I received this book from a Library Thing Early Reviewer giveaway and at first I'll admit I was sort of ambivalent about it. I am in the habit of requesting any book whose synopsis or cover peaks my interest in any way. When I won this book of all the ones I had entered, my reaction was merely "Oh, alrighty,".

However, once I began reading I was immediately drawn to the main character. He is never given a name, instead asking that we call him Ishmael, in reference to his favorite book, Moby Dick. Our 'Ishmael' is unabashedly, a great lover of books living in war torn Africa. He spends his entire life traveling from village to village asking for books, or lending out books, or telling the stories he has read in his beloved books. This man they call the barefoot librarian, is a man after my own heart. He sees books almost as a way of life, a source of joy, of love, and of healing. In fact throughout the story, he is literally saved by his love of books, be it a bullet through his copy of Moby Dick or the strength his body has developed from carrying many, many books across long distances.

As the book starts out, our librarian meets a white woman named Kate. Kate is an academic, determined to bring to light the many atrocities being committed in the name of God. Our librarian can tell immediately that like many foreigners, Kate is in way over her head in this land ruled by overly religious men called the Warriors of God. These warriors are zealots who roam freely on horseback, taking whatever they like and punishing those who don't follow their standards of morality. Unsurprisingly, these are men who don't take very kindly to women especially. Among the warriors is an old childhood friend turned enemy of our librarian who has sworn to kill him at some point.

These two individuals along with a young girl, who they find along the way, find themselves in an unlikely partnership trying to escape the Warriors of God. Throughout everything they manage to maintain their humanity and become a family of sorts, clinging to each other against the inhumanity of those around them.

It's a beautifully told story and even though it is a mere 158 pages, each page is intense and it feels like a much longer book. It was a heart-wrenching story that will likely stick with me for a long time. I would recommend it to adult readers but be forewarned that despite it's small size, this is definitely not a light read.(less)

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Mar 13, 2011 Angel Graham rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Inspiration, Africa

Recommended to Angel by: Goodreads First Reads Giveaway

Shelves: owned, reviewed, print-books

Standing at the Crossroads by Charles Davis is a short, but powerful read. It is written in a short, allegorical style much as his first novel Walk On, Bright Boy.

From the first chapter to the last is about 150 pages, packed with much imagery, much imagination and in a way I still don't completely understand for myself, much reality.

Our hero also the narrator, is known as The Barefoot Librarian is a black man who lives in Africa. (Most likely Sudan, but we don't really know). Kate is a white wom...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

My soul feels ragged from the violence, but this book shines with the philosophizing of the "Barefoot Librarian".

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Feb 23, 2011 L rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book with not a lot of fluff. Every page was intense. Not a beach book. This was a First reads win.

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Sep 11, 2011 Hybridmobile rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting story. The love of literature transcending horrors of reality, etc., etc.

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Feb 14, 2011 Lecia Ford rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won an ARC of this book through Goodreads.

I appreciated the work that went into this write.
Details that enclose you in with them and able to relate.

A place where we all find ourselves, at some time or another, just standing, at the Crossroads...

Thank you!

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Mar 13, 2011 Ishanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Thanks for this win good reads! I will update my review upon receipt!

*Update*

This selection was entirely engrossing from the very first page to the very last. A heartbreaking read based on the ongoing wars taking place in Africa and a story of survival for 3 unrelated characters struggling together. My eyes watered several times throughout this short novel. I was amazed by how well the author wrote from the perpective of an African man during a genocide war. I highly recommend this short read. V...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Bobby J rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a great read...short but so well done.

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Apr 16, 2011 Linda Benedict rated it 5 of 5 stars

My new favorite book. You can read my review on LibraryThing.com. (lcb48)

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Mar 17, 2011 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent - gave it a starred review in LJ

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May 02, 2011 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: north-africa

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 20, 2012 Elizabeth Zander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, africa, fiction, philosophical, travel, survival

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About Charles Davis

Basically, middle-class boy born in the suburbs of London in 1960.

After a dissolute time at university, it occurred to me that if I wanted to write, I'd better get on and write something (I’m sharp like that), so I sat down and, through my mid to late twenties, churned out a novel a year. I always found plenty of publishers and agents ready to read these outpourings, but since I never took the tro...more

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