on August 15, 2017
Genres: Memoir, Non-Fiction
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"Rash" by Lisa Kusel is a poignant memoir that explores the quest for personal fulfillment against the backdrop of an exotic locale. Set in Bali, the story follows Lisa, her husband Victor, and their young daughter Loy as they embark on a life-changing journey from California to the Island of the Gods.
Driven by a sense of restlessness and a desire for something more, Lisa convinces Victor to pursue a job opportunity at an international school in Bali. However, their idyllic vision of paradise is quickly shattered by the harsh realities of life on the island. Instead of finding the peace and happiness they sought, the family encounters challenges ranging from cultural differences to health concerns, including the threat of Dengue Fever.
Kusel's candid and introspective narrative delves into the complexities of marriage, motherhood, and the search for happiness. As Lisa grapples with her own insecurities and disappointments, she inadvertently strains her relationship with Victor, risking the very stability she sought to find.
What sets "Rash" apart is its raw honesty and vivid depiction of Bali's beauty and pitfalls. Kusel paints a vivid picture of the island's allure, while also shedding light on its less glamorous aspects, from burning corpses to biting ants. Through her experiences, readers gain insight into the universal truth that happiness is not determined by external circumstances but by one's inner state of being.
Overall, "Rash" is a compelling memoir that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt the tug of wanderlust or grappled with the complexities of relationships and self-discovery. Kusel's journey serves as a reminder that true contentment lies not in escaping reality but in embracing it, wherever life may lead.
About Lisa Kusel
Lisa was born in New Jersey two miles from where Thomas Alva Edison first recorded sound; in fact she and her adolescent peers would often be found lounging beneath the art deco tower that was built in his honor, making-out or puffing on stolen cigarettes. Just as Lisa was getting comfortable wearing bold-colored maxi skirts, her parents moved her and her two brothers to California, where she quickly adapted to making out and smoking cigarettes on the beach instead.
She went to college and studied biology and theater arts. She went to graduate school and studied environmental anthropology. After years of writing copy for non-profits, selling surplus cosmetics in Russia, and living off rich married men, she accepted an editorial position at that little-known Open Office competitor, Microsoft. There she created MATTER, the company’s first online magazine read by the 34 people who were patient enough to wait the twelve minutes it took the GIFs to download through their 56K modems.
She got married. Left Microsoft. Went to Africa. Moved back to California. Wrote a book of interconnected short stories about a girl looking for true love–OTHER FISH IN THE SEA. Found an agent who sold it for shitloads of money. Had a baby. Wrote another novel about a ménage a trois gone bad–HAT TRICK. Wrote another one after that about WWII–not yet published. Then she moved to Bali to save her wounded marriage, and wrote a memoir about her time there. It’s called RASH, and it’s a funny poignant tale about a woman who mistakenly believes that running away to paradise is the only way to find true happiness.