Frederick Reuss

Life is all about secrets, the ones we keep from others and the ones we keep from ourselves. Written as separate but parallel stories, A Geography of Secrets explores these secrets and the damage they can do to an individual and to others. Both Noel and the unnamed narrator have family secrets that tear apart their serenity, forcing them to reevaluate everything they ever thought about their lives.

The novel's beauty lies in the synchronicity of the two stories. Both men spend their lives show more analyzing topography, which makes them uniquely observant to various aspects of life. Yet, each is left questioning his place in his own family after certain secrets make themselves known. However, the secrets themselves are not important, as the reactions to these secrets truly drive the novel.

Make no mistake, this is a story that is just as mental as it is physical, mirroring the external and internal aspects of secrets. The language is simple and evocative. Mr. Reuss doesn't hide behind the words but lets the psychology of the story unfold effortlessly. Through it all, the reader is drawn into each man's plight, drawing parallels between the two, and superimposing any conclusions drawn onto his or her own life.

Not for everyone, A Geography of Secrets is a simple but dramatic story. There are no chase scenes or suspenseful moments. Rather, the drama occurs quietly, as each man searches for answers and makes decisions that have momentous implications for others. For the right reader, Mr. Reuss' exploration of the power of secrets is one that will definitely leave its mark. show less

I was very much taken by this novel, A Geography of Secrets, although I had never heard of its author prior to this. More than just 'taken,' I was absolutely 'absorbed' upon entering this secret world that lies within the Washington beltway. I felt immediate sympathy - empathy even - for the character of Noel Leonard, a master 'technician' in a world of careerists and managers, high and low. An expert in his field, Noel is tortured by an intellect and a conscience sadly lacking in many of show more his superiors. And he has no one to confide in, no one with whom to share his moral dilemma. Because his work is shrouded in secrecy and layers of compartmentalization. He seems unable to unload, even to his priest, or to his wife, who is an agnostic. His own moral compass wavers badly when he is sent on a boondoggle junket to Switzerland, just to get him out of the way. In sheer desperation for simple human contact he links up with a prostitute there and tells her what he does, that he works for the U.S. President, that he is a murderer. But he gets no relief from this dangerous and highly illegal admission, succeeding only in making the call girl uncomfortable. His only solace is in golf, where he is a scratch player of considerable skill.

The parallel story is of the unnamed narrator who is a mapmaker by trade, who grew up in various countries as a foreign service brat. He is trying to learn more about his recently deceased father, whom he learns was much more than he appeared, and had also led a life shrouded in secrecy. Divorce, mistresses, abortions, illegitimate children, secret identities - it's all in here, as the stories of the two fifty-ish men parallel each other and even touch briefly at beginning and end. But there is no easy solution to be found here, in either story. The novel acknowledges all the messiness, confusion and questioning that constitutes a real life - or two real lives, in this case, and all the other lives that impinge on those two.

I've done some of this stuff. I know what it's like to work behind cipher lock doors in rooms without windows, so perhaps I can identify more easily than some with this story. But Reuss is a master storyteller, and his descriptions of doing highly classified work and dealing with all the crap that goes with it, and of the Washington area, with all of its recognizable landmarks and government buildings and agencies are simply dead-on, and the same is true of other locales here - in Switzerland, Germany, India.

Ah, what the hell. I know I'm not doing this book justice in this blathering manner, but it's just one damn good book, particularly if you've ever worked in Washington. show less

Two men with different stories. But both trying to make sense of secrets in their lives. One in the dark past, the second erupting in the present. One family related, the second work related. For a long time it seems there is nothing to tie these stories together. I wondered half way through the book how their lives might weave together.

Finally came to the conclusion that the tie was their respective world views shaped heavily by their shared profession. As cartographers they both like to show more literally “map out” any problem they face in their minds until they can metaphorically wrap their arms around it and understand it on their terms. They do this quite well in the external world of concrete things and processes, but decidedly less well the world of people and emotion. As one character finally realizes:

“He knows his precise location as he crosses the fourteenth street bridge, where he is in relation to the [Washington DC] monuments, the city grid, traffic patterns, the federal bureaucracy, election cycles, wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, GWOT – all the big structures. It is reassuring to know his place [in the government] …he fits in just fine. It’s ordinary life he can’t connect to.”

Great psychological story and highly recommended for anyone who has worked in a job a bit too long and wonders what became of the person they once were; anyone who has recently lost a father and is trying to piece together what that means for their family; and for professional cartographers or those who insist on viewing all of the world through the lens of a map. show less

Frederick Reuss' newest book is quite a stretch for this reader. My normal book selections tend toward the scientific nonfiction. When I do take a break, my fiction selections are usually action thrillers from Brad Thor, David Baldacci or Dan Brown. My favorite fiction characters may not be completely two dimensional but their motivations are pretty red, white & blue.
A Geography of Secrets doesn't fit anywhere near these categories. However, his book is interesting and worthwhile reading.
The show more structure of the book is a bit unusual in that there a two storylines that alternate chapters. On surface this construction might seem confusing but one is in the first person and the other in the third person by an unseen narrator. Thus, the reader easy can follow each. Aiding the flow is Reuss' effortless writing style.
The publisher hype for this book puts a lot of emphasis of the geography and mapping aspects. Don't let this put you off. Geography and mapping are a thread but they are not dominant. Reuss weaves these elements in a very easy going and non-technical manner.
The first person storyline describes a son's search for the truth of his recently deceased father's career and activities as a Vietnam-era Foreign Service officer. The story is pieced together across multiple countries and through conversations with his widowed divorced mother. Climatic information is provided by his father's Vietnam-era compatriot.
In the second storyline we learn of Noel, an intelligence analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Noel is tortured by the knowledge that he is responsible for the erroneous bombing of a school in Pakistan and the resultant death of many school children. We follow Noel as he comes to terms with his actions without being able to confined in anyone because of these secrets.
While I can candidly say I did not completely identify with either of the characters there were frequent episodes that were uncannily familiar. I guess this is the measure of Reuss as an author, i.e. connecting with the reader.
I highly recommend A Geography of Secrets as something different to read. show less