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A review by kkulecru
I Am ARMY: It's Time to Begin by Manilyn Gumapas, Naazneen Samsodien, Anna Shaffer, Sharon Chen, Lily Low, Tagseen Samsodien, Courtney Lazore, Wallea Eaglehawk, Keryn Ibrahim
5.0
Wow.
This may be the first time I've voluntarily read an anthology of essays like this, and I'm very glad I did. With its release on September 13, I Am ARMY will join a select number of BTS-related publications that I feel could be described as 'serious'- in that the content is of a certain level of quality often missing in other coverage of BTS or ARMY. Many of its literary peers are cited in the essays themselves, and I highly recommend seeking them out afterwards if any strike your interest!
At this stage I would not describe myself as a very articulate reviewer, and rather than critique the actual content of this book I feel I am better suited to attesting to the emotions I felt before and after reading. Prior to receiving this advance copy I was extremely excited to learn of this anthology's impending publication, especially as it offered an opportunity to learn more of the story behind [b:Idol Limerence: The Art of Loving BTS as Phenomena|52753649|Idol Limerence The Art of Loving BTS as Phenomena|Wallea Eaglehawk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585366662l/52753649._SX50_.jpg|78753373]. Although it was sent out shortly before a chaotic series of events unfolded in life, I still found the chance to race through it and devour the stories that lie within. I think that this context certainly intensified the emotions I felt whilst reading.
The eight essays published in this book are all extremely compelling and well-written, each describing the unique stories of various ARMY that help to illustrate the complexity and depth of this fandom. As a reader who is easily immersed in a story, each of the perspectives depicted in these essays were able to stir my empathy in different ways, as well as providing a means of catharsis at several points. It feels slightly embarrassing to say that there were a few times where it brought tears to my eyes, but that perhaps speaks to the power and depth of the writing more than anything else.
I wish I could give a (virtual) hug to each of the ARMY that were involved in the creation of this book, including the three that were unable to finish writing before publication. Thank you for sharing your stories in such an articulate and expressive manner; it is heartwarming to see the common elements that can be found in the ARMY experience, and moreso to see them framed and collated in this way. Additionally, thank you for opening my eyes to the many sources cited throughout your essays - I hope I'll have the time to add them to my academic repertoire.
I already have plans to revisit this in the near future to fully appreciate the stories within and take the time to absorb the messages in Chapter 1 and 10 bookending the eight essays. Wallea Eaglehawk neatly wraps up the eight snapshots of the ARMY experience and uses them to sketch out the scope of the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution in an extremely inspiring manner.
To finish this review, I think I can only say that I recommend this book to any ARMY, and perhaps moreso recommend it to any non-ARMY interested in learning more about this fandom's diversity. I feel that one of the best ways to understand and empathise with something unfamiliar is to gain access to an insider's perspective, which gives the outside the tools to find commonalities in their experiences and humanise the unknown. I Am ARMY truly demonstrates that ARMY is a microcosm of humankind.
This may be the first time I've voluntarily read an anthology of essays like this, and I'm very glad I did. With its release on September 13, I Am ARMY will join a select number of BTS-related publications that I feel could be described as 'serious'- in that the content is of a certain level of quality often missing in other coverage of BTS or ARMY. Many of its literary peers are cited in the essays themselves, and I highly recommend seeking them out afterwards if any strike your interest!
At this stage I would not describe myself as a very articulate reviewer, and rather than critique the actual content of this book I feel I am better suited to attesting to the emotions I felt before and after reading. Prior to receiving this advance copy I was extremely excited to learn of this anthology's impending publication, especially as it offered an opportunity to learn more of the story behind [b:Idol Limerence: The Art of Loving BTS as Phenomena|52753649|Idol Limerence The Art of Loving BTS as Phenomena|Wallea Eaglehawk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585366662l/52753649._SX50_.jpg|78753373]. Although it was sent out shortly before a chaotic series of events unfolded in life, I still found the chance to race through it and devour the stories that lie within. I think that this context certainly intensified the emotions I felt whilst reading.
The eight essays published in this book are all extremely compelling and well-written, each describing the unique stories of various ARMY that help to illustrate the complexity and depth of this fandom. As a reader who is easily immersed in a story, each of the perspectives depicted in these essays were able to stir my empathy in different ways, as well as providing a means of catharsis at several points. It feels slightly embarrassing to say that there were a few times where it brought tears to my eyes, but that perhaps speaks to the power and depth of the writing more than anything else.
I wish I could give a (virtual) hug to each of the ARMY that were involved in the creation of this book, including the three that were unable to finish writing before publication. Thank you for sharing your stories in such an articulate and expressive manner; it is heartwarming to see the common elements that can be found in the ARMY experience, and moreso to see them framed and collated in this way. Additionally, thank you for opening my eyes to the many sources cited throughout your essays - I hope I'll have the time to add them to my academic repertoire.
I already have plans to revisit this in the near future to fully appreciate the stories within and take the time to absorb the messages in Chapter 1 and 10 bookending the eight essays. Wallea Eaglehawk neatly wraps up the eight snapshots of the ARMY experience and uses them to sketch out the scope of the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution in an extremely inspiring manner.
To finish this review, I think I can only say that I recommend this book to any ARMY, and perhaps moreso recommend it to any non-ARMY interested in learning more about this fandom's diversity. I feel that one of the best ways to understand and empathise with something unfamiliar is to gain access to an insider's perspective, which gives the outside the tools to find commonalities in their experiences and humanise the unknown. I Am ARMY truly demonstrates that ARMY is a microcosm of humankind.