Summary: If you close your eyes where the Aral Sea used to be and listen to the wind whipping sand over the brush it sounds like waves breaking over a shore... like phantom pain, when amputees feel sensation in missing limbs.
This is an interesting attempt that for me is a moderate success. Framed by some lyrical writing and evocative imagery, the piece describes how the former Soviet Union destroyed one of the world's biggest lakes with a thoughtless, aggressive agricultural scheme. We hear no audio from the place being described except for the whoosh of the wind; this is essentially a print travel essay read with accompanying music. It?s a tough thing to pull off for more than a few minutes, but Ms. Dornhelm makes it work pretty well thanks to her fine writing and engaging delivery.
Comments for The Other Dead Sea
Produced by Ben Adair, Savvy Traveler
Other pieces by Rachel Dornhelm
Rating Summary
1 comment
John Biewen
Posted on December 28, 2005 at 09:59 AM | Permalink
Review of The Other Dead Sea
This is an interesting attempt that for me is a moderate success. Framed by some lyrical writing and evocative imagery, the piece describes how the former Soviet Union destroyed one of the world's biggest lakes with a thoughtless, aggressive agricultural scheme. We hear no audio from the place being described except for the whoosh of the wind; this is essentially a print travel essay read with accompanying music. It?s a tough thing to pull off for more than a few minutes, but Ms. Dornhelm makes it work pretty well thanks to her fine writing and engaging delivery.