The Frontier. A reflection about death, restlessness, beauty, Europe, and China

The frontier whispered to me that the world was bigger than the border village where I was born. An infinite number of worlds had to be out there. I wanted to see them all. Suddenly death appeared next to me. Very closely. She hugged me close and murmured: I will never leave you alone.

Jeanne Boden has been commuting between Europe and Asia for over 30 years. In her literary memoir The Frontier she interweaves social, political, cultural, artistic, and philosophical reflections with deeply personal experiences.

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Merely your fingers sensing the white cover reveals this book is to be treated with kindness. Poetic metaphors unravel stories of people, including of the author herself, and how they cope with what reality throws at them. Jeanne Boden delivered an exquisite book that deciphers rather than judges, that is unsettling and at the same time soothing. Crossing physical and mental borders – connecting west and east, grief and liberation, excitement and silence – with her nomad spirit and her resilient, refined and warmhearted personality as companions, is a fascinating journey not to miss.
Francoise Chombar, Chairwoman Melexis

More than an autobiography, The Frontier is a spiritual quest, a cultural exploration, and a political thriller all in one. It transcends the individual and reaches for the universal: questions of power, fear, loss, and connection become tangible and urgent. Boden broadens her readers’ perspectives—on themselves, on China, on the world. This is a book you won’t easily put down, one that provokes reflection and deeply moves you. Those who open themselves to this text will discover a rare synthesis of personal honesty, philosophical acuity, and geopolitical vision.
Tine Englebert, Gent Leest