I read this book while going through the application process for the Peace Corps, and then found a copy of it in my host country while serving. Several other volunteers and I sat down and read pieces out loud to each other, expecting a good laugh, and were surprised at how good we still found it. It is very thorough and very accurate. As to one reviewer's note that it left them with unanswered questions - well, you must understand, even within one host country, people have very different experiences, and the Peace Corps is in about 80 countries. What this book doesn't tell you, you can't - and don't need to - know beforehand. Read it, pack lightly, and go with an open mind.

I am considering joining the Peace Corps and this book provided me with all the information and answered so many of the questions about joining. Is very honest and straight forward about consequences and advantages. Awesome insight! Recommend this book highly for anyone curious to know the real truths behind joining the Peace Corps.

I have dreamt of the Peace Corps for years now, and since college graduation is nearing, I read this book. It's put in a simple question and answer format, so you can skip to or refer back to a specific concern of yours. He brought up questions I hadn't even thought of, and now Peace Corps life is a lot clearer to me. So clear, I might not even go anymore! The only thing I didn't like about this book was that he says "you will feel this way or that way" and "this is what will happen;" I wish he would have told about his experience more than telling me what I will experience, as if we all go through the same thing. I would have also liked to hear more about specific projects. I very much appreciated that he gave the up side and the down side; it's not just an advertisement for the Peace Corps. I also like that in the end there are references for other volunteer abroad opportunities, as I'm looking for something with a shorter commitment. This advice can be applied to programs other than the Peace Corps, and my copy is now full of highlights and dog-eared pages. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about the Peace Corps.