Far Country: Stories from Abroad and Other Places Paperback – April 25, 2015

Timothy Kenny is an experienced journalist who has traveled extensively throughout the world both as a reporter and a journalism trainer. In Far Country, he is telling stories from places such as Kosovo, Baku, Kabul, Sarajevo and Bucharest, as well as his hometown Detroit and his current home in Connecticut -- snippets of life, sometimes dramatic and sad, sometimes absurd, sometimes even funny. Everything in the book converges to make us understand that what may seem strange and extraordinary to us is nothing but the usual for people living in other parts of the world. Just like our standard of normality may seem far-fetched to them. The world is incredibly diverse, and in order for us to truly begin to understand it, we must look at it with an open mind. Instead of blocking our view by trying to see the world through the filter of our own local background and experience, we should rather accept that our way of living and looking at things is just one of many. The stories in the book will probably help you make more sense of all the disturbing news floating around, and maybe even understand (if not agree with) some of the motivations driving people from remote corners of the world. Far Country is, undeniably, a sad book. It tells us that people will get used to the worst circumstances: those in Kabul and in war-time Sarajevo to living in constant fear; those in Kosovo or Bucharest to having to face packs of stray dogs every night; those in Baku to corruption at all levels; those in Detroit to seeing their city fall into decay; those getting old to the reality of their own mortality. The world, however, is not hopeless. Sarajevo has found a new life after the war, and people everywhere do go on with their existence. Even Detroit is redefining itself, sort of. Toward the end of the book, Kenny introduces his young daughter, Caitlin, for whom the "worst Sunday ever" is the day she could not bowl at the local bowling emporium. For her, the world is quite a different place than the one in most of her father's stories.

Timothy Kenny’s Far Country offers something found in many memoirs – entertaining recollections and anecdotes – and something less common -- good journalism. His tales from the Balkans, the Mideast and elsewhere are fun reading, but Tim also does a great job of reporting along the way. His interviews are particularly insightful, showing a careful preparation for a book that some authors prefer to write from memory alone. I can vouch for Tim’s reporting from Kosovo and Afghanistan because our professional paths intersected in both places. He gives an honest portrayal of those bewildering lands without ever sacrificing good story-telling. His reflections on and assessment of Detroit, his hometown, also match what I recall from my time there. If you’re looking for an interesting and highly readable memoir from a first-rate journalist and teacher, this is a book for you.

This book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Mr. Kenny is one of those gifted writers that finds beautiful people and places where you would least expect it. His stories from war-torn areas of eastern Europe and the middle east are amazing. Reading about human beings enduring and living life under these ungodly conditions has been a real learning experience. It should be required reading for those of us that have come to take these "far country" wars for granted.NOTE: although the book is anecdotal and the reader may be tempted to jump around, do yourself a favor and read this book start to finish. The author's return to his childhood home near Detroit provides valuable lessons in how similar we all are - far and near.

Well written and a treat for those who have visited some of the places the author has written about. Mr. Kenny "paints" a vivid mental picture of events and locations. Reading this was a real pleasure. Very well done.

Beautifully written. Engaging. Inspiring to all storytellers and aspiring storytellers. This book is easy to read and difficult to put down. Mr. Kenny has a journalist's eye for detail, but a novelist's ability to develop character and voice. All readers also will appreciate that Mr. Kenny observes and conveys, but leaves the reader to make his or her own conclusions.

Very interesting stories about places that are still in the news today.

An interesting personal insight of the people in very different cultures

This book takes you on a journey to far away cities and shows you the parts you haven't seen on TV and haven't read about in the newspaper articles the author, and countless other journalists, have written in the Western media.It tells you about the ordinary people in countries torn by war and revolution, their fears and hopes, their mannerisms, superstitions and contradictions. It also shows you the foreign correspondent as he would rather not be seen – a little afraid, a little insecure and sometimes lonely.It's not just developing countries that Tim Kenny visits and re-visits in this book, but also his hometown of Detroit, where he has to deal with his own shock and hurt at the sight of what it has become.Time and how it changes us and the people around us is the main theme of this series of well-written, absorbing short stories. The author does not judge, does not preach and does not offer advice. It's part of what makes this book such a good read.

This book takes you on a journey to far away cities and shows you the parts you haven't seen on TV and haven't read about in the newspaper articles the author, and countless other journalists, have written in the Western media.It tells you about the ordinary people in countries torn by war and revolution, their fears and hopes, their mannerisms, superstitions and contradictions. It also shows you the foreign correspondent as he would rather not be seen – a little afraid, a little insecure and sometimes lonely.It's not just developing countries that Tim Kenny visits and re-visits in this book, but also his hometown of Detroit, where he has to deal with his own shock and hurt at the sight of what it has become.Time and how it changes us and the people around us is the main theme of this series of well-written, absorbing short stories. The author does not judge, does not preach and does not offer advice. It's part of what makes this book such a good read.