'War Stories' a haunting memoir

War Stories: a Memoir of Nigeria and Biafra, a collection of stories about the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970, is a poignant look at the war that divided a nation and pulled on the heartstrings of the rest of the world. The author, John Sherman, was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Eastern region of Nigeria before the civil war broke out. After hurriedly fleeing Nigeria, he returned to work with the starving children of Nigeria and Biafra, the seceding area of Nigeria. \nAs an International Committee of the Red Cross volunteer, Sherman helped distribute food and medicine to the severely malnourished children caught in the conflict. He tried to re-enter the area he taught in, but it was impossible to enter Biafra during the fighting. Instead, Sherman volunteered to help the children of Nigeria recover from a severe malnutrition disorder called 'kwashiorkor.' This form of protein malnutrition is the most severe, with children suffering distended stomachs and losing hair and skin pigmentation. \nThe pictures of these children are the ones that haunted the world during this conflict. International outcry was intense, but misguided. People around the world were under the impression that those suffering were the freedom fighters of Biafra and their children. However, people on both sides of the conflict were starving and suffering; and volunteers labored to cure the infirm. Donations poured in to help the unfortunate sufferers of malnutrition. \nSherman describes the condition of the children in disconcerting detail, as well as the obstacles that were presented in treating them. Not only were food and medicine in short supply, but the military forces on both sides of the conflict were suspicious of relief efforts and did what they could to thwart them.\nThis book is an extremely well-written account of a horrific period in African history. Sherman makes the conflict come alive; vivid descriptions of the obstacles facing the relief workers were poignant and enough to anger the reader. I wondered why the Nigerians and Biafrians were so intent on preventing the aid that was going to their own people. The suspicions and paranoia were ridiculous when all the Red Cross was trying to do was feed and medicate the sick and hungry.\nI was impressed with Sherman's candor regarding the entire experience in Africa. He didn't paint his work as a holy crusade or himself as a saint. He described how tired he grew of racism he experienced, as well as the inefficiencies of the relief effort. Sherman got tired, frustrated and grew weary of the war. His honesty and his ability to accurately describe his role in the relief was extremely refreshing. Too often memoirs paint the authors as saints, angels or something in between. \nI highly recommend War Stories. It was an extremely interesting and informative read. I feel it presented a fair representation of the events of the Nigerian Civil War. The memories come alive with Sander's vivid descriptions and enclosed photos, and I was able to place myself in the Nigerian bush alongside the author. It's an extremely interesting and engrossing read, one that draws the reader in with the first page and doesn't let go until the end.