Journey Among Nations
by Michael Cohen
Published by Outskirts Press
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Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali
In Journey Among Nations Cohen chronicles his life and narrates where his experiences led him. The first seven chapters of the book record Cohen interviewing his parents and two of his uncles on life in Afghanistan. Cohen then relates his experiences for the remainder of the book.
From the anecdotes and descriptions that Cohen provides, it is clear that Cohen’s family is deeply religious and very close. The Jewish community they live in is also tightly knit. Jews help fellow Jews even if they have met for the first time. The Jewish identity within the Cohen family and in their Jewish community comes across as a strong and proud tradition.
Cohen’s family had been doing well in Afghanistan, but migrated through Iran to Israel as political conditions deteriorated in Afghanistan. In Israel, conditions were harsher than the family had initially expected, but they adapted. Cohen joined the armed forces and recounted some of his experiences during the Arab-Israeli conflict. A decade later, he moved to New York and traded in precious gems. Towards the end of the book Cohen moved back to Israel after spending a decade in United States.
While Cohen has a lot to share, most of the book describes religious and family traditions and relates anecdotes. One does not get a sense of a typical day in Kabul, Tel Aviv or New York. While the book recounts events chronologically, one does not get a sense of how much time has elapsed from one section to the next. The anecdotes relate unusual and memorable events, veiling the humdrum of daily living from the reader.
Cohen quotes several people throughout the book. Sometimes it is not clear who is speaking, or if a particular paragraph is a quote or the author’s narrative. Some of the italicized terms in the book are not included in the glossary. Some of the entries in the glossary are not defined as sharply as “dictionary definitions” are.
Cohen has led an interesting life and his story would be exciting to read. In my opinion, Journey Among Nations does not do justice to Cohen’s rich and varied life.
Armchair Interviews says: The life and times of the Cohen family.