Some of us SpouseBUZZers are reading the book The Airmen and the Headhunters for an upcoming author interview. I am thoroughly enjoying this book, and it's just starting to get really exciting.
I don't want to spoil anything, but there's one event that I can't get out of my head. The Dayak people have finally decided that the only way to protect the American airmen is to start fighting back against the Japanese. But they needed a foolproof trap, so the Dayak leader asks the most beautiful young girls in the village to bathe naked in the river to distract the Japanese soldiers long enough for an attack. Nudity is not acceptable in Dayak society, but the young girls did it anyway to help protect the airmen. They laid the trap for the Japanese.
I have been thinking about how it must've pained the Dayak leader to ask the young women to do this. I have imagined my father asking me to expose myself in the middle of town for the greater good. I can't imagine asking so much from a young girl. And I've also tried to put myself in the girls' shoes, letting go of their shame in order to save lives by facilitating the taking of other lives. But if I could run naked through the streets of Baghdad, and it saved just one soldier's life, it would be worth it.
Maybe we should add Girls Gone Wild to the Surge?
Posted by Sarah at January 15, 2008 08:55 AM | TrackBackIsn't it an awesome, inspiring, and wonderful book to read right now when there seems to be such a dearth of books with anything hopeful in them?
I know just the scene you are talking about - and it was very moving. The Dayaks risked and sacrificed so much for our boys...
Posted by: airforcewife at January 15, 2008 01:53 PMThat sounds like a really great book. If I wasn't in the middle of 43 others, I might look into reading it. :)
Posted by: Erin at January 16, 2008 10:12 PM