Immersion - by Linda Murphy Marshall (Paperback)

About the Book

"... a memoir that takes the reader on a captivating emotional and physical journey through Linda Murphy Marshall's life: from the longstanding, crippling impact of family members' low expectations and abuse, to her discovery as a young adult that she possesses special skills in foreign languages."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Fans of the self-discovering journeys in Cheryl Strayed's Wild and Andrew McCarthy's The Longest Way Home will love diving into linguist Linda Murphy Marshall's adventure-filled international journey as she overcomes her past to find her place in the world--all over the world.

Immersion is a memoir that takes the reader on a captivating emotional and physical journey through Linda Murphy Marshall's life: from the longstanding, crippling impact of family members' low expectations and abuse, to her discovery as a young adult that she possesses special skills in foreign languages.

Linda is taught from an early age that she has little of value to offer the world. But her love of and affinity for languages enables her to create a new life--to separate herself from her toxic environment and to build a successful, decades-long career as a professional multilinguist. It's a rewarding vocation, but a challenging one: her assignments with the US federal government take her on some hair-raisingly dangerous journeys, some to countries with unstable governments and even active war zones. But these sometimes-harrowing experiences teach her how to open the "windows" around her, unearth her true self, and develop a healthy sense of self-worth--and ultimately, paradoxically, her work and travel so far from home allow her to come home to herself.

Review Quotes

2024 BookFest Awards First Place Winner in Nonfiction - Memoirs - Travel
2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner in Travel/Travel Guide

"Follow Linda as she reflects deeply on the lessons she gained from witnessing violent conflict, disheartening poverty, culture shocks, and notable historical moments in this unforgettable memoir."--Manhattan Book Review

"A fluent and far-ranging celebration of communication and world travel." --Kirkus Reviews

"Immersion is scattered with diamonds, attracting every reader to different, brilliant parts. Elegantly and eloquently, Marshall illuminates a linguist's experience. For non-interpreters, Immersion is a glimpse into the challenges and gratification of a life spent with foreign languages and policy-makers. For interpreters, this is an affectionate and invigorating dialogue with an exceptionally gifted and gracious colleague." --Allison Hong Merrill, author of Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops

"[Immersion's] pages convey the tenacity and understanding that it takes to learn a language and understand its cultural context. . . . the book ably imparts a sense of the universality of the human condition, capturing feelings like grief and gratitude in time with Marshall's poignant, ongoing search for her sense of self." --Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Author Linda Murphy Marshall plunges readers into the mission of a government multilinguist who battles her own self-doubts and fears in the midst of often tumultuous and frightening environments. Immersion is a fascinating exploration of not only the key role of language but also the personal journey toward self-realization." --Donna Koros Stramella, author of Among the Bones

"Few people are familiar with the position of 'linguist' in intelligence work, but it is one of the most specialized and difficult jobs there is. Immersion draws back the veil on what it takes to fill this essential role: the deep love of language and culture, the determination to constantly challenge yourself, and the need for unfailing attention to detail. If you love languages or know someone who does (particularly a young person considering a career in language), this memoir is a must-read." --Alma Katsu, former CIA officer, former government director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Language, and author of Red London

"How does a woman transform herself from a bored, midwestern housewife to an international linguist warding off thugs in Tanzania, wading through bomb debris in Kenya, and deciphering code for the FBI in small African nations? Linda Murphy Marshall does it by giving herself over to her one true love: languages around the world, including Portuguese, Swahili, Amharic, and Xhosa. This stunning exploration of the sometimes painful, sometimes exhilarating process of learning to translate both words and her own changing identity is a remarkable tribute to Marshall's talent and the transformative power of languages." --Barbara Hurd, author of The Epilogues

"Marshall's latest book is a deeply personal and marvelously authentic narrative told with humor, suspense, humility, and authority. Linda depicts how language is woven into real life, how it instills insights and affections, and what it reveals about others--and oneself. I have spent over seven decades learning, using, describing, and advocating for language abilities, and I only wish I had written a book like this." --Dr. Richard D. Brecht, University of Maryland Professor Emeritus, codirector of the American Councils Research Center, cofounder of Jeenie.com, and founding executive director of the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL)

"With an artist's eye for detail and a skilled writer's talent for capturing drama, Marshall created an enthralling narrative of her path to becoming a top national language expert and her own journey to finding her true self in the process. Unique and engrossing." --Laura Murray, PhD, president of The National Museum of Language

About the Author

Linda Murphy Marshall is a multi-linguist and writer with a PhD in Hispanic languages and literature, a master's in Spanish, and an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in The Los Angeles Review, Maryland Literary Review, the Ocotillo Review, Chestnut Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, Bacopa Literary Review, PopMatters, Storgy [UK], The Bark Magazine, Catamaran Literary Reader, and Critical Read. She was featured in American Writers Review, where she was an Honorable Mention for the 2019 Fiction Contest. She was long-listed in Strands Publishers's 2021 International Flash Fiction Contest, and was a finalist in the 2020 Annual Adelaide Literary Contest for one of her essays. In addition, she is currently a reader for Fourth Genre and a translation editor for the Los Angeles Review. Her sketches and paintings have been featured in art shows and galleries. She lives in Columbia, MD.