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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.
About the author
Rita Gardner grew up on her expatriate family’s coconut farm in the Dominican Republic during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Living in a remote coastal village, she was home-schooled and began reading, writing and painting at a young age. She returned to Florida to finish school and later moved to Northern California, where she follows her passions—trail hiking, traveling, writing, and photography. Her published essays, articles, and poems have appeared in literary journals, travel magazines, and newspapers. Her photographs show in galleries and other venues. She continues to dream in Spanish, dance the merengue, and gather inspiration from the ocean; her favorite color is Caribbean blue.
Summary
Gold Medal Winner, Autobiography/Memoir, 2015 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards.
Rita is an infant when her father leaves a successful career in the US to live in “paradise”—a seaside village in the Dominican Republic. The Coconut Latitudes is her haunting, lyrical memoir of surviving a reality far from the envisioned Eden—and of the terrible cost of keeping secrets.
Foreword
Rita is an infant when her father leaves a successful career in the US to live in “paradise”—a seaside village in the Dominican Republic. The Coconut Latitudes is her haunting, lyrical memoir of surviving a reality far from the envisioned Eden—and of the terrible cost of keeping secrets.
Additional text
“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
