• First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria

  • By: Eve Brown Waite
  • Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
  • Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (165 ratings)

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First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria  By  cover art

First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria

By: Eve Brown Waite
Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
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Publisher's summary

How a Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure Changed My Life

In this laugh-out-loud funny memoir, a pampered city girl falls head over little black heels in love with a Peace Corps poster boy and follows him literally to the ends of the earth.

Eve Brown always thought she would join the Peace Corps someday, although she secretly worried about life without sushi, frothy coffee drinks, and air conditioning. But with college diploma in hand, it was time to put up or shut up. So with some ambivalence she arrives at the Peace Corps office sporting her best safari-chic attire to casually look into the steps one might take if one were to become a global humanitarian, a la Angelina Jolie.

But when Eve meets John, her dashing young Peace Corps recruiter, all her ambivalence flies out the window. She absolutely must join the Peace Corps - and win John's heart in the process. Off to Ecuador she goes and - after a year in the jungle - back to the States she runs, vowing to stay within easy reach of a decaf cappuccino for the rest of her days. But life had other plans. Just as she's getting reacquainted with the joys of toilet paper, John gets a job with CARE and Eve must decide if shes up for life in another third-world outpost. Before you can say, "pass the malaria prophylaxis," the couple heads off to Uganda, and the fun really begins--if one can call having rats in your toilet fun.

Fortunately, in Eve's case one certainly can, because to her, every experience is an adventure to be embraced, and these pages come alive with all of the alternatively poignant and uproarious details.

With wit and candor, First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria chronicles Eve's misadventures as an aspiring do-gooder. Here is an honest and laugh-out-loud funny look at the search for love and purpose from a woman who finds both in the last place she expected.

©2009 Eve Brown Waite (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best memoirs I have ever read!

This audiobook was hilarious, poignant and, at times, heartbreaking. I simply cannot rave enough about this wonderful memoir. Eve Brown-Waite is a woman who is honest, loving, compassionate, quirky and occassionally selfish. But you know what? That makes her human! The narration was wonderful-I felt no one, but Eileen Stevens, could have pulled off this memoir!

Buy this audiobook! It will make you literally laugh out loud wherever you are! (For example, I was in the grocery store at one particular time and couldn't help but hoot with laughter...which got several strange stares.)

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

I Hear ya

Well, the hype says "laugh out loud" funny. I didn't hear a peep from me. But, I sure did learn a thing or two about the peace core. All in all I can say I was not too impressed

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

funny? don't think so

I did not even finish the book. I didn't lol once. It was not what I expected. She tells a good story, but I had to force myself to keep listening. I finally gave up.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Title misses the spolit princess bit.

I found the narration of a high standard and it only this professional input that kept me listening to the end. The story was alarmingly honest - and did little to improve the image of Amercians abroad. The Peace Corp and such institutions have done great works around the world in the the past, but this sort of story undermines their contribution by focusing on the spoilt princesses and their ignorance about life outside New York state.

As an Australian travelling in the USA I have always been surprised at how ignorant of other states and countries many American's are. Unfortunately this ignorance is displayed - loudly and proudly - through out this book. She was in Africa at a critical time in its history and at no stage is there any insight into the politics, or ramifications of the politics on the local villagers. The constant complaining about lack of luxuries and decent coffee soon lost its appeal, and my frustration grew as I found the story more and more frivolous.

I found the book to be extremely disappointing - shallow and self absorbed.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn't finish it

An idealistic self-proclaimed JAP goes out into the wilds of world to change the face of it and fight AIDS. Instead, she fails to finish her Peace Corp mission (completely understandable, under the circumstances), and heads off to Uganda where lies around and whines about not being able to do any good deeds because she lives in the middle of nowhere.

Eve does a good job of explaining the various issues that stood in the way of her accomplishing anything of weight in Uganda - the bureaucracy, the corruption, the poverty - but eventually I couldn't take any more of her whining. Especially about the smells of Uganda. Oh, and a baby.

I got 3/4 of the way through, it was compelling enough, but once the drought happened and she started getting into the Difficult Pregnancy section, I'd had enough.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • LL
  • 10-13-10

Enjoyable and Fun

Eve Brown Waite is hilarious! She starts her story out with altruism which quickly morphs into a very funny journey to Ecuador and Uganda. The beauty of the story is Eve's honesty and how brilliantly she finds the humor in some odd situations. Of course, along the way I came to care very deeply for the various characters she encounters.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Honest, funny memoir

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised.
Eve's tales are humorous, horrifying, humorous, sad, humorous, honest, humorous, and touching.
Over the span of years, Eve and John experienced some really sad and horrifying things but Eve's wit and humor helped balance them out. I laughed, cringed, and cried on numerous occasions.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to nearly anyone!
And if I'm being perfectly honest, it gave me the desire to really see and experience the world... only I'm not going to eat guinea pig head so I'll probably stay right here in the good 'ol U.S. of A.

I loved the narration. There were so many unsual accents in this book and Eileen Stevens nailed them all (at least to my uncultured ears!). I especially loved her African accents.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

almost unbearable

In the first chapters of this book I thought this shallow, narcissistic writer must be presenting herself in a harsh light in order to show how the Peace Corps and developing world would change and strengthen her character. No such luck. Rarely has such a self-absorbed person set carelessly written, shabbily edited words on paper. As a returned Peace Corp Volunteer who worked for 3 years in Sierra Leone with my husband and 3 children, I am interested in the experience of other PCVs. Yes, I have had malaria and so have 2 of my children. Yes, as the "non-matrix spouse" I had challenges defining a job for myself. Yes, I have subsisted on a limited diet and pined for American food and physical comforts. But Ms. Waite's experience with deprevation is appallingly self-centered, and whatever growth she experiences happens off stage or is instantly erased by her needy, whiny attitude. Count me in among the Audible reviewers offended by her writing on perceived African body odor -- and it's not just a mention, it's a rant.

As for her signature chapter sign off, "I'll keep you posted," my response is, "No thanks, I've had enough."

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrific Book

What made the experience of listening to First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria the most enjoyable?

Having been around when Uganda first hit the news this book and its more current history was facinating.

What was one of the most memorable moments of First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria?

The authors vivid retelling of her struggles with everyday life. It should make every person who has the luxuries of life, which we think of as necessities, grateful and learn that sometimes the basics are all we really need to be happy.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Made me yearn for her sequel!

Any additional comments?

I truly enjoyed this book. Eva Brown Waite made me feel as if I were part of her world - I laughed at some of her stories and got teary-eyed at others. She did a great job of describing life in remote areas of the world - and how people are people no matter where you go.

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