Island Adrift

About the Book

ISLAND ADRIFT breaks down stereotyped images of Puerto Rico and its people. For example, Carlos Caldes, a young professor from a wealthy island family, returns home with an American wife to find the paranoia over the island’s legal ties to the United States affecting almost everyone’s personal lives in some way—from love triangles, to family feuds and a revolutionary plot to take over the island. Carlos finds all this counter to his innate world-view, but in his struggle to resolve it creatively, topples his own marital situation. From the varied viewpoints and actions of the novel’s other characters, there emerges a kaleidoscopic picture of this dynamic but troubled island.

About the Author

Grace Cali’s love for Puerto Rico stems from her years there as a journalist where she wrote for the San Juan Star, El Mundo and later for Caribbean Business. Her writing covered a wide range from feature articles and entertainment reviews to investigative reporting. Living with her artist husband in Santurce, Old San Juan and Fajardo gave her a fuller grasp of the island’s cross-currents. In between, she taught English in the Dominican Republic and was also in Texas as “Newspapers in Education” director for the Austin American-Statesman. Prior to these years, this Rhode Island native worked at Harvard where (as Grace Cali Leonard) she was editorial assistant and secretary to the eminent theologian Paul Tillich. Three years followed in New York developing her talents both as a singer and writer. The drive for writing won out, however, and she headed south for calmer climes. Today, she lives in New Hampshire and writes on several of her broad interests, including the Shakespeare authorship question, the Baha’i religion and jazz. Her book, PAUL TILLICH FIRST-HAND, came out in 1996 from Exploration Press. Among her many articles are those in Esquire, World Order and The Christian Century.