Euphoria

When I read Lily King's novel Euphoria I had no idea the woman in the book was based on Margaret Mead, a world renown anthropologist. This was a fascinating story about a woman, her husband, and a male friend living in the jungles of New Guinea. They come there to learn about the tribes, the culture, and the people in the village. I can't imagine the bravery they had to do what they did. In order to get there they had to travel by canoe.  Once they arrived they struggled to learn the language. The amount of trust they had that everything would work out is staggering. Besides the hardships they also dealt with tropical illnesses and injuries. To top it off, the husband in the story is both physically and emotionally abusive. Yet Nell Stone, the woman based on Margaret Mead, keeps trying. She asks questions, she types up her notes, she helps out in the community. All her success enrages her husband even more. He feels inadequate. He tries to sabotage her work. I really liked the character of Nell Stone. She is someone I admire.