Off the Beaten Path

In her introduction, 94-year-old Colvin (founder, Literacy Volunteers of America, now ProLiteracy) writes, "I collect people the way others collect stamps or coins." Her collection includes a Hindu holy man, unsung heroes fighting apartheid, Nigerian women running an aluminum factory, maximum-security prisoners in Zambia, the king of Swaziland, Chinese Christians, an Ecuadorean folklore artist, lepers in Madagascar, and a newborn baby in Cambodia. This diverse medley of stories accumulated from ten developing countries represents decades of international volunteer work by Colvin and her husband. Rather than focusing on her obvious passion for adult literacy training, Colvin reveals her deeply cultivated respect for cultural, racial, and religious diversity, concluding with the observation that "people are people" everywhere. The chapters are organized by country; this results in a scattered, fast-paced description of those the author met during her travels. Fortunately, the introduction and epilog fill in some gaps. Occasional photos enhance the text, including shots of Colvin receiving awards from two U.S. Presidents.