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Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
Gold Medal Winner, Autobiography/Memoir, 2015 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards. A father makes the fateful decision to leave a successful career in the US behind and move to an isolated beach in the Dominican Republic. He plants ten thousand coconut seedlings, transplants his wife and two young daughters to a small village, and declares they are the luckiest people alive. In reality, the family is in the path of hurricanes and in the grip of a brutal dictator, Rafael Trujillo—and the children are additionally under the thumb of an increasingly volatile and alcoholic father. Set against a backdrop of shimmering palms and kaleidoscope sunsets, The Coconut Latitudes is Rita Gardner’s compelling memoir of a childhood in paradise, a journey into unexpected misery, and a twisted path to redemption and truth.
Product Details
- Publisher: She Writes Press (September 16, 2014)
- Length: 204 pages
- ISBN13: 9781631529023
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Raves and Reviews
“Gardner has written a rich, haunting book that vividly captures her childhood and makes everyday turmoil vital through precise and honest prose.”
—Publishers Weekly, July 2014
“Another fine writer we can embrace as ours: an honorary Dominicana, who moves beyond borders into the wide open spaces of the heart.”
—Julia Alvarez, author of A Wedding in Haiti, Recipient, 2013 National Medal of Arts
“Gardner’s memoir is a detailed delight. A kind of ‘island-mindedness’ in her writing makes this a compelling read.”
—Alastair Reid, Correspondent for The New Yorker, author of Inside Out
“In this riveting coming-of-age story, Gardner paints an exquisite portrait of her family’s rupture in paradise.”
—Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land and A Thousand Lives
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Coconut Latitudes eBook 9781631529023
