An Embarrassment Of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
I almost cried when I finished this book. There is such a sense of peace and contentment with life that is exuded from the pages of this book. It's not high literature, it doesn't contain fancy prose; it is just one damn fine book to read for the pure pleasure of reading. It is the book that is embodies what it means to lose oneself in a book. For myself, I know that as much as I would love to, I will probably never take two years off from my life and career and sail around the Caribbean. But does that mean I will never know what it feels like? Not necessarily. All I need to do is pick up An Embarrassment of Mangoes. Even without closing my eyes, I heard the crackling lightning and deafening thunder of the squalls; I can smell the lush green foliage, moist dirt, sweaty bodies, and sweet and sharp spices; I can taste the juicy mangoes, the fresh fish, and the rum, rum, rum. I was constantly smiling reading this book. I was so perfectly content to immerse myself in a book where carpe diem and being zen were the main themes -- along with going with the flow (as much as I hate that phrase) and adjusting to island time, when "jus' now" means in three hours. The good-naturedness of the other cruisers and especially the islanders was a wonderful tonic to the rude, or otherwise unfriendly interactions to which I have resigned myself in this NYC metro area life. Why does it have to be such a shock when people are nice? Or friendly? Or generous? And all without you being so or doing so first? It's astonishing. Maybe it has to do with the climate. Warmth and sunshine always do me a world of good -- slogging through seasonal depression in the winter is the worst. Maybe it's the food, with the abundance and variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, spices, and seafood available. Sure, Whole Foods might stock breadfruit (do they even? the author said that they have to be harvested at just the right time, so maybe exporting them is inconvenient) but I wouldn't pay $20 for something that is guaranteed to taste half as good as it would be on the islands. Maybe it's simply the nature of the people, with their traditions of singing and dancing and feasting. And Carnival. Whatever it is, it's too bad that isn't found around the world.The saving grace to finishing this book -- as if anything could be a balm for that kind of heartwrenching bitter end -- was trying some of the recipes. Food is nothing if not a balm to heal wounds and soothe souls. I made the papaya salsa from page 101, but I used mangoes instead. (I also chopped the red onion much finer, rather than leaving it in half-rings.) It was superb. On an icky rainy, chilly, and windy evening, I sat down to a meal of fresh hot fish off the stove and a cool and refreshing mango salsa. Undoubtedly my mangoes were mere shadowy imitations of those the author herself was able to enjoy, but it brought the islands that little bit closer. As the author and any seasoned traveler will attest to, the best way to experience a culture is through its food. The combination of food and adventures (sometimes one and the same) in this book make it a masterful escape from the ordinary realities through which we slog every day; but I also think that the same principles of carpe diem and contentment and enjoyment are universal and I know I would be well-served by trying to find a bit of jus' now -- and mango salsa -- in my life.
This was a book club read. It read slower than I expected based on the content. I think the typeface made my eyes tired; I could only read it in short bursts before needing to take a break with something else. Comparisons are inevitable but if you're looking for something similar to Wild or Eat, Pray, Love, I don't think you'll find it here. Besides the obvious difference that she wasn't alone, this was definitely more travelogue than self-discovery. This isn't a criticism of the book (I wasn't a huge fan of either of those books so it didn't bother me at all) but I mention it as a 'heads up' to avoid disappointment for those looking for a certain type of book.The book made me very hungry while I was reading it because I love seafood! There are recipes included at the end of each chapter that looked simple to follow if you're so inclined. I'm definitely more of an eater than a cook, plus Iowa isn't known for its wide availability of fresh fish, so I skimmed those pages.I wish there had been pictures in the book. I was told at our book club discussion that her blog has pictures and updates on their more recent travels but I was not interested enough to go look for myself.She pushed herself out of her comfort zone to take this opportunity and I hope it brought her what she was looking for. I also believe that not every relationship would be able to withstand such constant intimacy so I'm happy that the journey brought her and her husband closer together.A Few Quotes from the Book"In one corner: The security of a job, a steady income, a home, a daily routine - comfortable, safe, predictable. In the other corner: Escape from work, winter, and daily routine; the excitement and risk of the unknown - tempting, and more than a little scary.""I've realized how disconnected my daily life had been from the natural world. The weather, the wind, the moon, even the seasons - and the attendant plants, insects, birds, and animals - came and went. But I was removed, at a distance. So what if the moon was new or the sky was pissing rain? I still had to go to the office. The natural world - in all its forms - is so much more immediate now. It forces me to pay attention.""Shortly afterward, friends arrive at their boats and island houses, and a spontaneous party happens. But for us it's bittersweet. I know the last two years have to end, but I can't bear the thought. I don't want just to sink complacently back into our old existence. I've seen too clearly there's more to life than that."Find all my reviews at:http://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
What do You think about An Embarrassment Of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude (2005)?
Have you ever wanted to drop out of your stressful life and sail away with your husband to the Caribbean aboard your sailboat, despite your lack of sailing experience? No? Well, apparently I am not the only one, because Ann Vanderhoof and her husband actually did it, and this is their tale. It's a fun read, and every chapter ends with one or two recipes that sound amazing (but most of which I will not be trying because they are not Paleo-friendly). The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the trip took place more than 20 years ago already (yes, the 1990s were a long time ago - how time flies!), and I kept wondering if the places described in the book are still like that. Still, it's an enjoyable story with interesting characters, and it made me wish a little for the cruising life.
—Lauri
Ok, so I am deeply regretting that I merely borrowed this book instead of buying it. So much so that its getting bought fairly quickly. It was a pretty good book and I was sorry when it ended.A nonfiction, it covers the two years that author Ann and her husband Steve go cruising in the Caribbean. They travel many places, weather many storms, and meet a lot of other cruisers and islanders. Some of the places they visit are the Dominican Republic, several towns along the Atlantic coast of the USA, and their favorite, Granada. All in all, they travel from Canada to the Caribbean and back again for quite a long journey. While Ann is not as thrilled about being on a boat at first, she soon takes to it, and she and Steve become pretty accomplished sailors and used to life on a cramped boat. Ann also does a lot of cooking with local ingredients.I love the way Ann describes the people in this. She is always so positive about her experiences and you can tell she truly is a people person and enjoys interacting with everyone. I especially like the deep friendship she has with a woman on Granada and how they exchange food and advice and even go back to visit her after the trip is over. They also meet several other unique cruisers with personalities that range all around. Most notable is the guy who is the expert on Rum. I also like how she explained about being closer to her husband with living on the boat because it is pretty tight quarters to be in with someone. Even so, with as cramped as it was for them, I can't imagine how it was for my mom when she was little and she, my grandparents, and her two brothers lived on a sailboat for a couple of years. I'm not sure I could handle it myself.Ann kind of bounces around in time with her travels and devotes more book time to some places than others. As said before, they really enjoyed Granada and this is where a good portion of the book takes place. Not that that's a bad thing, there was certainly enough to write about there. I have to say the only downfall to the writing was the amount of technical boat stuff that she wrote in. For those who like sailing or understand it this might have been ok, but I found it kind of boring. Luckily there wasn't too much of it in there. She more than makes up for it with her descriptions of food and cooking though. It made me want to quit my job and go to the Caribbean. Fresh conch, lobster, mangoes, etc. my mouth was definitely watering. And she included recipes too! The ultimate way to make me love a book (and want to buy it).Great travel narrative, foodie book, and more. I highly recommend it.An Embarrassment of MangoesCopyright 2004300 pagesReview by M. Reynard 2011More of my reviews can be found at ifithaswords.blogspot.com
—Melissa
Two years on a small boat, together 24/7 when one of you starts as a not-very-comfortable sailor... a situation in which I imagine you would learn about about yourself and your partner.Sadly, for me, Vanderhoof stays away from disclosing anything about herself, her husband and how the voyage changed them and their relationship, maybe even their relationship with others. She sticks to pleasant enough descriptions of the places and people, and there are some nice recipes, but the book lacked soul and purpose. A pleasant but aimless read; I put it down about half way through and I never got round to picking it up again.
—Phredric
