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The Tenth Island: Finding Joy, Beauty, and Unexpected Love in the Azores
From a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer comes an exuberant memoir of personal loss and longing, and finding connection on the remote Azorean islands of the Atlantic Ocean.
Reporter Diana Marcum is in crisis. A long-buried personal sadness is enfolding her—and her career is stalled—when she stumbles upon an unusual group of immigrants living in rural California. She follows them on their annual return to the remote Azorean islands in the Atlantic Ocean, where bulls run down village streets, volcanoes are active, and the people celebrate festas to ease their saudade, a longing so deep that the Portuguese word for it can’t be fully translated.
Years later, California is in a terrible drought, the wildfires seem to never end, and Diana finds herself still dreaming of those islands and the chuva—a rain so soft you don’t notice when it begins or ends.
With her troublesome Labrador retriever, Murphy, in tow, Diana returns to the islands of her dreams only to discover that there are still things she longs for—and one of them may be a most unexpected love.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2018
9861 people are currently reading
17370 people want to read
About the author
Diana Marcum
2 books63 followersDiana Marcum was a Los Angeles Times reporter covering the Central Valley and the Sierra. She focused on personal, narrative tales that play out against the broader sweeps of poverty, immigration and, most recently, drought.
In 2015, she won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for her narrative portraits of farmers, fieldworkers and other Californians in drought-stricken towns in the Central Valley.
Diana Marcum died on August, 9, 2023, in Fresno, California, following surgery to remove a glioblastoma several weeks earlier. She was 60 years old.
In 2015, she won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for her narrative portraits of farmers, fieldworkers and other Californians in drought-stricken towns in the Central Valley.
Diana Marcum died on August, 9, 2023, in Fresno, California, following surgery to remove a glioblastoma several weeks earlier. She was 60 years old.
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January 26, 2025
"I chose to be rich, by making my wants few."
--Henry David Thoreau
In percentage of reading time over the past twenty years, I have probably spent more time reading travel memoirs than any other type of book. Lately, that percentage has dropped. To a large degree, this is because this has become such a disappointing genre. It is no longer enough to simply visit a place and write about it; no, the name of the game now is to sell it. Sell it as the most dangerous, the most kooky, the most appetizing, the most romantic experience anybody could possibly have.
So I didn't have high hopes for this one, although I saw that my GR friend Laura had enjoyed it. It was written by a journalist, and I've had some disappointing experiences lately with journalists writing travel books, given their tendency to write short, pithy chapters similar to a newspaper article and not spend a lot of time on the big picture. Author Marcum is having none of that. She won a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize for feature writing ("I think they called them human-interest stories back then, when there was a belief that most humans shared a common interest in one another," she observes.) She put her notebooks away and has written movingly of multiple trips to the Azores, told from a personal perspective.
She is not in any sense pretentious.
Or,
Nice writing and a refusal to oversell the story gained her a four-star rating all the way through. She explains how her life as a journalist in the Central Valley of California led to her eventual decision to visit the Azores, a cluster of nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and part of Portugal. (There are now twice as many former Azoreans living in the Central Valley as in the Azores themselves. Much of the book describes the torn-in-half feeling the large Azorean diaspora suffers when they're not at "home".)
I recently panned a book because the protagonists struck me as overpriviledged whiners. Let's see where Marcum lands on that spectrum:
The ending of the book was so perfect, so lovely, that I elevated my rating to five stars. It had nothing to do with her love life, or fixing up an old mansion, or experiencing the perfect meal. No, it concerned .
I recommend this book to anybody who wants some cheer and fresh exposure in their reading, and I will be re-reading it again for sure.
Note added January 2025: I was saddened to learn today that author Diana Marcum died last year from a brain tumor. I would have loved to have met her.
--Henry David Thoreau
In percentage of reading time over the past twenty years, I have probably spent more time reading travel memoirs than any other type of book. Lately, that percentage has dropped. To a large degree, this is because this has become such a disappointing genre. It is no longer enough to simply visit a place and write about it; no, the name of the game now is to sell it. Sell it as the most dangerous, the most kooky, the most appetizing, the most romantic experience anybody could possibly have.
So I didn't have high hopes for this one, although I saw that my GR friend Laura had enjoyed it. It was written by a journalist, and I've had some disappointing experiences lately with journalists writing travel books, given their tendency to write short, pithy chapters similar to a newspaper article and not spend a lot of time on the big picture. Author Marcum is having none of that. She won a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize for feature writing ("I think they called them human-interest stories back then, when there was a belief that most humans shared a common interest in one another," she observes.) She put her notebooks away and has written movingly of multiple trips to the Azores, told from a personal perspective.
She is not in any sense pretentious.
The humidity keeps the hills a rich green and means that a wildfire won’t burn, but it can be hard on pudding-headed sorts overly concerned with the texture of their hair. Like me. Redheads are vulnerable to such worries. We’re conditioned to believe that there’s only a few flyaway hairs’ difference between siren and Pippi Longstocking, Little Orphan Annie, or Witchiepoo.
Or,
It was like when I was a waitress in Palm Springs, California, which hosts a lot of kinky conventions. The restaurants would get a list of what groups were in town, and it was always interesting to note that the Mennonite Women’s Quilting Group was booked the same week as the Inland Empire Spankers or some such.
Nice writing and a refusal to oversell the story gained her a four-star rating all the way through. She explains how her life as a journalist in the Central Valley of California led to her eventual decision to visit the Azores, a cluster of nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and part of Portugal. (There are now twice as many former Azoreans living in the Central Valley as in the Azores themselves. Much of the book describes the torn-in-half feeling the large Azorean diaspora suffers when they're not at "home".)
I recently panned a book because the protagonists struck me as overpriviledged whiners. Let's see where Marcum lands on that spectrum:
During the Rim Fire in California, a huge pyrocumulus cloud formed every afternoon. People in Groveland, a little (by California standards) town of six hundred, came out and stood in front of their clapboard houses and potted geraniums and watched as the firecloud grew higher than the Sierra Nevada. I would stand there awed, and without words I deeply understood that if it didn’t rain, the next fires could be even bigger, and if the rains did come and they were too hard or too much, those burned hillsides would wash away in floods. It was all so precarious--right on the edge of cataclysmic. But nearby were flowers in flower boxes and pines that had not burned and a lost dog that had returned home and a restaurant opening for dinner, and you could feel everyone in the street breathing sighs of gratitude that it was all still here. If even for just a little longer.
The ending of the book was so perfect, so lovely, that I elevated my rating to five stars. It had nothing to do with her love life, or fixing up an old mansion, or experiencing the perfect meal. No, it concerned .
I recommend this book to anybody who wants some cheer and fresh exposure in their reading, and I will be re-reading it again for sure.
Note added January 2025: I was saddened to learn today that author Diana Marcum died last year from a brain tumor. I would have loved to have met her.
July 11, 2018
Rather odd
None of the other Kindle first books for July appealed, so I defaulted to what I thought would be a charming travelogue about the Azores. This book did not turn out be what I had expected. I think I learned more about California than the Azores. I was reminded of how different the USA is to the UK and that we are divided by a common language. The narrative was rather introspective and very autobiographical and I had trouble being into the book because I kept wondering why I should be interested in this woman I don't know and her friendships and relationships. Somehow I kept going, thinking the story would become clearer with time, but even by the end part of me wonders why it was written and why I read it. the other parts found it quite intriguing and with the additional help of Google and Wikipedia, I learned new things about both the people of the Azores and of California.
None of the other Kindle first books for July appealed, so I defaulted to what I thought would be a charming travelogue about the Azores. This book did not turn out be what I had expected. I think I learned more about California than the Azores. I was reminded of how different the USA is to the UK and that we are divided by a common language. The narrative was rather introspective and very autobiographical and I had trouble being into the book because I kept wondering why I should be interested in this woman I don't know and her friendships and relationships. Somehow I kept going, thinking the story would become clearer with time, but even by the end part of me wonders why it was written and why I read it. the other parts found it quite intriguing and with the additional help of Google and Wikipedia, I learned new things about both the people of the Azores and of California.
July 28, 2018
I really wanted to like this one - it started out strong and the culture and history of the Azores was very interesting. I just could not get on board with Marcum's writing style - the jumping back and forth in narrative was really confusing and I found myself skimming the pages and then just didn't finish it. The Azores are a very compelling topic but I think a more linear writing style may have worked better?
July 7, 2018
This was neither a travelogue, nor a history book, nor a "lost my shit and found love in a foreign land" book. And I'm good with that.
I was initially concerned that I was reading another version of Eat Pray Love (based on the notes on Amazon) but found that the author was less a lost soul and more of a searching one.
The Azores sound so beautiful and welcoming, and the format of each chapter almost as a short story was very effective. The Murphy stories in particular were very entertaining.
This book was I think a great deal about community and how she could appreciate it while still being something of an outsider. The theme of drought was both disturbing and effective. The Azores were both a verdant change of scenery (with looming active volcanos) but also a cure for an arid soul.
I was initially concerned that I was reading another version of Eat Pray Love (based on the notes on Amazon) but found that the author was less a lost soul and more of a searching one.
The Azores sound so beautiful and welcoming, and the format of each chapter almost as a short story was very effective. The Murphy stories in particular were very entertaining.
This book was I think a great deal about community and how she could appreciate it while still being something of an outsider. The theme of drought was both disturbing and effective. The Azores were both a verdant change of scenery (with looming active volcanos) but also a cure for an arid soul.
July 4, 2018
I enjoy biographies and learning about other places - traveling without ever leaving my couch. This semi-fiction, semi-autobiographical book seemed a great choice for this month's First Reads selection.
The book is filled with her experiences, but more with her longing for more. More peace, more romance, more beauty, more.. Saudade. The indescribable longing for something that you're not sure of, whether it be happy or sad, that's just out of reach with your fingers, and slipped away from your tongue so it can't even be described.
The author shares stories of her life in California and Azorean Islands, as well as her career as a news writer. She leaps headlong into stories, with hiking boots and fire gear at the ready during droughts and fires, a sad normalcy in California for part of her career. Worn from experiencing this, she headed back to the Azorean Islands, where life is slower, and simpler... Except while bulls are charging at you, narrowly held by handlers with ropes.
Between and during the narrative, she adds in theories that she believes to be true. I liked the first, but they soon grew a little tiring, distracting from the narrative and self-serving. An example:
"The Importance of Dawdling Theory: This theory holds that there is nothing more valuable than time to waste. The most interesting things are the ones tucked away in the empty spaces to be discovered when dawdling, loitering, lying in bed. It's the only part of the universe you can truly call your own."
Overall, the book is filled with the author's passion, but the factual, blunt manner is sometimes tinged with a hint of despair that makes it a less enjoyable read than I'd like. She touches on her romances, and issues thereof, in a manner which sings for sympathy, but I couldn't generate it. I wish her well, of course, but some of this portion could have been skipped with no impact to the tale.
The book is filled with her experiences, but more with her longing for more. More peace, more romance, more beauty, more.. Saudade. The indescribable longing for something that you're not sure of, whether it be happy or sad, that's just out of reach with your fingers, and slipped away from your tongue so it can't even be described.
The author shares stories of her life in California and Azorean Islands, as well as her career as a news writer. She leaps headlong into stories, with hiking boots and fire gear at the ready during droughts and fires, a sad normalcy in California for part of her career. Worn from experiencing this, she headed back to the Azorean Islands, where life is slower, and simpler... Except while bulls are charging at you, narrowly held by handlers with ropes.
Between and during the narrative, she adds in theories that she believes to be true. I liked the first, but they soon grew a little tiring, distracting from the narrative and self-serving. An example:
"The Importance of Dawdling Theory: This theory holds that there is nothing more valuable than time to waste. The most interesting things are the ones tucked away in the empty spaces to be discovered when dawdling, loitering, lying in bed. It's the only part of the universe you can truly call your own."
Overall, the book is filled with the author's passion, but the factual, blunt manner is sometimes tinged with a hint of despair that makes it a less enjoyable read than I'd like. She touches on her romances, and issues thereof, in a manner which sings for sympathy, but I couldn't generate it. I wish her well, of course, but some of this portion could have been skipped with no impact to the tale.
September 13, 2018
Being the child of immigrants is a strange experience to navigate. I always feel equal parts American and Portuguese, but also not really fully one or the other. To my Portuguese family, I will always be the American cousin, albeit one with a decent grasp of Portuguese and a passable accent. To my American friends, I am always a bit of an other, not fully American, but not really all that foreign either.
I am not really a minority as people think of the term – being of European descent and not looking “foreign”, whatever that means, in America, I am treated like any other white woman, for better or worse. So while I am as liberal leaning and “woke” as I can possibly be, I don’t think I have ever really felt like my culture was being scrutinized or analyzed until I read this book.
There is a part of me that is excited that an American has shown such love and admiration for the place that I consider home, even though I have never lived there. Usually, I have to explain to people that no, Portugal is not a state in Spain, but an independent country. And that no, the Azores are not in the Caribbean, that’s Puerto Rico, it’s a collection of islands smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic. So the fact that someone not only knows what the Azores is but also spent so much time getting to know it, is thrilling to me.
But.
There is always a but.
There were times reading this book when Marcum was explaining some aspect of Portuguese culture, that I just wanted to scream “Don’t you dare explain my culture to me!” I have never really felt that way before, so it was jarring to feel like someone was, in a way, overriding what I know about the island where my family lives with their own reality.
This book is Marcum’s truth though. And I can’t begrudge her that. Even when parts of her story feel a little condescending, like the people that live on Terceira, were just adorable background actors to her personal story. The sweeping generalizations of how Portuguese people are, what they do, how they think and feel, especially Portuguese American’s was a little hard to swallow since I know that what she is describing may be true for some, but not all.
I want people to read this book. I want them to be inspired to learn about Portugal. To visit the islands. But I also want people to understand that no matter how much Marcum loves the country and its people, this book is her story, not theirs.
I am not really a minority as people think of the term – being of European descent and not looking “foreign”, whatever that means, in America, I am treated like any other white woman, for better or worse. So while I am as liberal leaning and “woke” as I can possibly be, I don’t think I have ever really felt like my culture was being scrutinized or analyzed until I read this book.
There is a part of me that is excited that an American has shown such love and admiration for the place that I consider home, even though I have never lived there. Usually, I have to explain to people that no, Portugal is not a state in Spain, but an independent country. And that no, the Azores are not in the Caribbean, that’s Puerto Rico, it’s a collection of islands smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic. So the fact that someone not only knows what the Azores is but also spent so much time getting to know it, is thrilling to me.
But.
There is always a but.
There were times reading this book when Marcum was explaining some aspect of Portuguese culture, that I just wanted to scream “Don’t you dare explain my culture to me!” I have never really felt that way before, so it was jarring to feel like someone was, in a way, overriding what I know about the island where my family lives with their own reality.
This book is Marcum’s truth though. And I can’t begrudge her that. Even when parts of her story feel a little condescending, like the people that live on Terceira, were just adorable background actors to her personal story. The sweeping generalizations of how Portuguese people are, what they do, how they think and feel, especially Portuguese American’s was a little hard to swallow since I know that what she is describing may be true for some, but not all.
I want people to read this book. I want them to be inspired to learn about Portugal. To visit the islands. But I also want people to understand that no matter how much Marcum loves the country and its people, this book is her story, not theirs.
July 30, 2018
Sorry but I did not enjoy this book. I continued reading it because I thought something interesting may happen to Diana on her Azores adventure but it didn't. I found the book rather rambling and difficult to keep up with the different people mentioned. Having said all of that and as a result of reading this book I am planning to visit the Azores next year for a holiday so it cant have been all bad.
August 4, 2018
In the Top Five of My Favorite Books Ever!
I am a voracious reader and generally choose detective/sleuth, action-packed adventure stories but, agreeing with other reviewers of this book, it was the only one of the July free reads that remotely appealed to me, perhaps because of my love of travel and exploration of new places.
I found this book relaxing and thought-provoking. Ms Markum has an extraordinary way of not only describing the sights and smells of the Azorean Islands, but she is also very deft at revealing inner thoughts and truths. The Portuguese word 'saudade' for an indescribable longing resonated with me. I've never bookmarked or highlighted more passages in any other books.
I'm even considering buying the tangible, physical copy of this book to keep in my otherwise limited collection of great reads.
A must for those who are armchair travelers and enjoy living virtually through other's experiences!
I am a voracious reader and generally choose detective/sleuth, action-packed adventure stories but, agreeing with other reviewers of this book, it was the only one of the July free reads that remotely appealed to me, perhaps because of my love of travel and exploration of new places.
I found this book relaxing and thought-provoking. Ms Markum has an extraordinary way of not only describing the sights and smells of the Azorean Islands, but she is also very deft at revealing inner thoughts and truths. The Portuguese word 'saudade' for an indescribable longing resonated with me. I've never bookmarked or highlighted more passages in any other books.
I'm even considering buying the tangible, physical copy of this book to keep in my otherwise limited collection of great reads.
A must for those who are armchair travelers and enjoy living virtually through other's experiences!
July 3, 2018
The author is a journalist, she is in a slump with nothing going right - no permanent job, no love life and no fulfilment. Through her work she meets some of the many emigrants from the Azores who make an annual pilgrimage back to their homes. She decides to visit this set of islands firstly for a couple of weeks, then a few months and years later for a year.
Not surprising she finds happiness in the simple, community-based life style. She writes well, always with the respect of a visitor who is grateful for the chance to live in such a welcoming, laid-back and fun-loving people.
Not surprising she finds happiness in the simple, community-based life style. She writes well, always with the respect of a visitor who is grateful for the chance to live in such a welcoming, laid-back and fun-loving people.
September 21, 2018
This is a well written book that makes me homesick for a place I have never been, and miss people I don't know.
December 17, 2022
For some reason books become hidden on the back burner. I knew a friend from the Azores, living in the states. She went back. After reading this novel, I can see why.
July 23, 2018
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from California, Marcum let go of everything to go alone to the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal to explore the California-Azores connection. Although not Azorean herself, she felt a special connection on her first visit and took a year-long leave of absence from her job at the Los Angeles Times to spend more time in the Azores, mostly on the island of Terceira. She lived in houses rented or loaned to her and spent her days exploring. She made friends, took off with near-strangers on hikes and car trips, and became part of the community, all without speaking more than a few words of Portuguese. It’s Eat Pray Love Portuguese style. My ancestors are Azorean, and I have been to the islands, so I loved reading about them. When she describes the street bullfights or the lava pools, I’m right back there. Marcum, now back at the LA Times, is a wonderful writer, her style informative yet easy.
July 14, 2018
I rarely give 5-star reviews, but this beautiful—and beautifully written—memoir most definitely deserves one. Kudos to journalist Diana Marcum for combining the depth and breadth of excellent reporting with the singsongy lyricism of a veteran novelist. I enjoyed every word and have added the Azores to my travel bucket list.
October 31, 2019
I found this book to be an ok. Finding joy and peace with yourself is always what everyone wants but this female has found a bit more. Even though Diana had no family the people of Azore has taken her in and made her feel welcomed and made her part of them. It was a nice memoir.
July 29, 2018
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The book overall is in chronological order (I think), but wow do the stories bounce around within certain time periods. It is very inconsistent and annoying with peppering of history about the islands/people/California to the point you just wonder, how is this relevant to what is going on? And I'm someone who appreciates historical context, but I got to the point, especially towards the end of the book, where my eyes would just glaze over when Marcum went into one of the long history lessons. I started skipping over all of it so I could just finish the book. For this being a personal account of her own experiences, the story felt a bit distanced. There's no real emotion or much POV thought - like the author is telling a friends detailed account of her experiences, but not her own. Also, if you're committed to reading this one, get a notepad to write down every person's name & how Diana met them because there are a lot, and I would forget who was who (or who was married to who) even reading the book consistently every night. I kept going back and forth on whether to give this book 2 or 3 stars, but because I really only liked small bits of it - not the entire thing so 2 stars it is. One of my lowest rated books. Which is sad because the idea and experiences behind this book deserve more than that, but in my opinion, it was just so poorly executed. I'm feeling deadline pressure or something going on here. The beginning of the book is so much better than later on - I even marked several quotes that really resonated with me (and thats not something I do often). Overall, it could've been much better storytelling - it's almost not worth the read because it wasn't done well.
July 7, 2018
Saudade
As a collector of words, saudade, loosely and inadequately translated to heartfelt longing, spoke to my soul, as did this entire novel.
A newspaper reporter explores the lives and stories of Portuguese emigrants and immigrants between the Azores islands and Central Valley, California. Told with a mixture of wistful saudade, humor and descriptive personal experiences, Marcum allows you to travel vicariously to these beautiful islands. I've added a new destination to the top of my bucket list.
As a collector of words, saudade, loosely and inadequately translated to heartfelt longing, spoke to my soul, as did this entire novel.
A newspaper reporter explores the lives and stories of Portuguese emigrants and immigrants between the Azores islands and Central Valley, California. Told with a mixture of wistful saudade, humor and descriptive personal experiences, Marcum allows you to travel vicariously to these beautiful islands. I've added a new destination to the top of my bucket list.
August 3, 2018
This is a beautiful, moving love story between a woman and a string of islands. It speaks to the part of my heart that longs to just go. It reminds me that I am my only obstacle. This book is a must read for those with this internal calling. Enjoy the journey!
August 17, 2018
The Tenth Island: Finding Joy, Beauty and Unexpected Love in the Azores 🍒🍒🍒🍒
By Diana Mercum
2018
Little A Books
Diana Marcums life changes when she discovers a group of immigrants from the Azorean Islands living in the Central Valley of California. They migrated to North America fleeing a Portuguese dictator and a massive volcanic eruption, between 1950 and 1980.
Her energy and fascination can be felt throughout her travels to the 9 Islands and learning of their formation, cultures, lifestyles and people. She learns of a culture that makes her question her own....a land she never knew existed and a land she can not forget.
" The Tenth Island is what you carry inside you. Its what's left when everything falls away. Those of us who live between worlds just know the Tenth Island better. No matter where I have lived--I have never left my Island. "
She never forgot these words.
Captivating and Recommended!
By Diana Mercum
2018
Little A Books
Diana Marcums life changes when she discovers a group of immigrants from the Azorean Islands living in the Central Valley of California. They migrated to North America fleeing a Portuguese dictator and a massive volcanic eruption, between 1950 and 1980.
Her energy and fascination can be felt throughout her travels to the 9 Islands and learning of their formation, cultures, lifestyles and people. She learns of a culture that makes her question her own....a land she never knew existed and a land she can not forget.
" The Tenth Island is what you carry inside you. Its what's left when everything falls away. Those of us who live between worlds just know the Tenth Island better. No matter where I have lived--I have never left my Island. "
She never forgot these words.
Captivating and Recommended!
July 20, 2018
I once lived in the Acores.
When I say the cover of this book I knew where the picture was taken. I lived there. I was a Military wife at Lakes Field. I too fell in love with this mystical place. The people are amazing. I spent 2 years there (December 1992-Feb-1995). An adventure I will hold in my heart forever. Your book brought back so many memories, and yes once you have been chased by a bull in the streets,you never forget it. I lived in Bel Jarden. Then a year later move on base. I still use my Alcatra pots, and cherish my memories of life on the Island. My children often talk of the friends they made and miss. I love your book. Thanks for the reminder of some of my favorite life experiences.
When I say the cover of this book I knew where the picture was taken. I lived there. I was a Military wife at Lakes Field. I too fell in love with this mystical place. The people are amazing. I spent 2 years there (December 1992-Feb-1995). An adventure I will hold in my heart forever. Your book brought back so many memories, and yes once you have been chased by a bull in the streets,you never forget it. I lived in Bel Jarden. Then a year later move on base. I still use my Alcatra pots, and cherish my memories of life on the Island. My children often talk of the friends they made and miss. I love your book. Thanks for the reminder of some of my favorite life experiences.
August 22, 2018
Sort of a travel book, sort of memoirs, sort of educational about Azorean immigrants and the California drought. I liked it! I feel like I learned a lot, both about California and the Azores and the people who are kind of caught in between.
Marcum met some Azoran dairy farmers in California just doing some random local newspaper article. Somehow she for invited to the Azores for a few weeks and enjoyed it. She ended up going back for an entire summer a few years later. A few years after that, after winning her Pulitzer (for writing about the California drought and profiling local farmers it was affecting, including Azorean farmers) she used her prize money and went back for a year. This book chronicles her life and career throughout that timeframe, but also how modern society was coming to the Azores.
The Azores are a group of 9 islands. After some volcanic eruptions in the 50s I think, lots of people started emigrating. Many went to California and became dairy farmers. Every summer, many of them made a pilgrimage back to the islands. It was interesting to read about how the year round residents and summer pilgrims interacted and viewed each other. This was a good read about a part of the world and culture I knew little about.
Marcum met some Azoran dairy farmers in California just doing some random local newspaper article. Somehow she for invited to the Azores for a few weeks and enjoyed it. She ended up going back for an entire summer a few years later. A few years after that, after winning her Pulitzer (for writing about the California drought and profiling local farmers it was affecting, including Azorean farmers) she used her prize money and went back for a year. This book chronicles her life and career throughout that timeframe, but also how modern society was coming to the Azores.
The Azores are a group of 9 islands. After some volcanic eruptions in the 50s I think, lots of people started emigrating. Many went to California and became dairy farmers. Every summer, many of them made a pilgrimage back to the islands. It was interesting to read about how the year round residents and summer pilgrims interacted and viewed each other. This was a good read about a part of the world and culture I knew little about.
December 29, 2019
This book is about one of the smaller islands of the mysterious Azores: its natural beauty, its distinctive, friendly and gossipy people and its history. It is also about the author's life, and how she and her dog Murphy gradually fall in love with the Azores, having met and lived among emigrants in her native Central Valley California. Diana is a fine writer (she won a Pulitzer Prize) and has a great sense of humor. I regretted finishing the book, and now I want to visit Terceira, Pico, Sao Miguel and the other islands to meet the people, taste their aged cheeses, swim in the natural pools by the ocean, and walk up the hills and through the individual villages.
November 17, 2019
8,5 de 10*
Um livro escrito por um autor estrangeiro a falar sobre os “nossos” Açores, despertou de imediato a minha atenção. E ainda bem que o fez, porque foi uma leitura de que gostei muito. Diana Marcum escreve na primeira pessoa sobre a sua descoberta destas ilhas lindas que são os Açores. Foi muito interessante perceber de que forma um estrangeiro vê e assimila tradições tão nossas.
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Um livro escrito por um autor estrangeiro a falar sobre os “nossos” Açores, despertou de imediato a minha atenção. E ainda bem que o fez, porque foi uma leitura de que gostei muito. Diana Marcum escreve na primeira pessoa sobre a sua descoberta destas ilhas lindas que são os Açores. Foi muito interessante perceber de que forma um estrangeiro vê e assimila tradições tão nossas.
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March 23, 2019
This was a fulfilling and entertaining read. Fitting at this point of transition in my career of staying or going. The desire to travel to the Azores has only been deepened.
March 3, 2022
Esta leitura despertou-me curiosidade pelo facto de falar dos Açores e principalmente da ilha Terceira. Apesar de em muitas partes me ter revisto ou sentido com o que a autora abordou, nomeadamente, o facto de ter parentes emigrantes e por estes mesmos se encontrarem em Tulare, Califórnia; por já ter tido a oportunidade de os ter visitado e visto com os meus próprios olhos como mantém e preservam as nossas tradições; pelo facto da minha família emigrante participar ativamente nessas tradições (baile folclórico, banda filarmónica, carnaval...); por terem participado nas festas das sanjoaninas com a filarmónica a convite da comissão das festas e por outros tantos motivos, esta leitura permitiu-me ver que a nossa cultura vai além fronteiras.
Contudo, como Açoreana e principalmente como Terceirense, este livro deixa-me um pouco "revoltada" pela aparente falta de pesquisa sobre festividades e tradições da minha ilha, bem como a aparente falha de revisão pela editora. Por tudo isto, foi-me difícil, enquanto leitora, separar as águas, e não dar importância às passagens que aqui ia lendo. Sou mais do que apologista de darmos a conhecer o que de belo tem os Açores, mas utilizem os termos e dados corretos.
- "As touradas à corda costumam ter três ou quatro touros. Diz-se que o quinto é a ressaca no dia seguinte", pág. 56. Pois bem, aqui vos digo que as touradas nunca tem três touros. Tem e SEMPRE, quatro touros. O quinto touro, é o convívio que ocorre durante o intervalo das touradas em casa das pessoas por onde passa a tourada. Ainda acrescento quase garantidamente, que todas não terminam em ressaca.
- "... a aldeia dele ficava no lado norte da ilha...", pág. 87. E esta "aldeia" a que a autora refere repete e volta a repetir até ao fim do livro. De todas as vezes que a lia, quase que tinha de fazer mentalmente uma pausa sem me aperceber, para tentar descodificar o que era uma "aldeia". Na ilha Terceira, não existem "aldeias". Existem sim, "freguesias", "vilas" e 2 cidades.
- "alcatra (um prato tradicional açoriano de carne, feito numa panela de barro)", pág. 120. A alcatra é um prato tradicional, açoriano. Contudo, não é feita nem cozinhada numa panela de barro. Essa panela tem um nome e chama-se "alguidar" de barro.
- "... pelo que a caminhada geralmente não demora mais do que quatro horas.", pág. 153. Esta senhora merecia uma salva de palmas se o conseguir ela própria bater esse recorde de todas as freguesias (e não estou a falar das freguesias vizinhas, como é óbvio) que pelos vistos aí insere. Quatro horas para uma peregrinação à Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, situada na freguesia da Serreta... é de louvar! Enquanto terceirense já a fiz de vários pontos da ilha (Lajes-Serreta, cerca de 7h; S.Brás-Serreta, cerca de 5h; Quatro Ribeiras-Serreta, cerca de 4h,...) mas nem preciso estar aqui a puxar pela minha cabeça, se tivesse pegado minimamente na aplicação do GoogleMaps (que já existia quando escreveu este livro. Sim! Podemos viver muito atrás em certas coisas, mas tecnologia, internet não nos falta - coisa que às vezes fica sub-entendido neste livro - escassez destes recursos) teria conseguido escrever este parágrafo às direitas.
- "... os horários dos restaurantes raramente são exatos...". Epá. Nunca tive grandes problemas neste sentido... mas isto ocorrer pontualmente? Acho estranho.
- "As capelas são cobertas de flores frescas e cada aldeia faz uma procissão com meninas vestidas de rainhas, com vestidos e capas brancas, homens com bandeiras medievais e algumas pessoas com cestos de pão à cabeça." pág. 227. É certo que nas comemorações e celebração do Divino Espírito Santo, cada freguesia tem a sua tradição, mas uma coisa é certa: na ilha Terceira não existe "procissão", existe sim "coroação". Na ilha Terceira não existe "rainhas" nem "capas brancas", quanto muito quero acreditar que houve alguma troca com alguma cidade na diáspora. Usava-se no passado a roupa branca, contudo e cada vez mais essa tradição da cor da roupa tem vindo a cair. "Pessoas com cestos de pão à cabeça", nunca vi (pelo menos desde que me lembro de existir).
- "Nos Açores, distribuem instrumentos às crianças no ensino básico, e elas aprendem os seus instrumentos juntas ao mesmo tempo que aprendem a tocar como uma banda." pág. 232. Estando por dentro da área da educação, e dizendo que nos Açores se aplicam as mesmas leis, decretos e ensino que em Portugal Continental, onde é que se encontra este ponto no currículo dos alunos que não o consigo encontrar?
Acho que foi a maior review alguma vez escrita por mim. Mas todos estes pontos que acima menciono fizeram com que não consegui-se saborear a leitura como era suposto.
Contudo, como Açoreana e principalmente como Terceirense, este livro deixa-me um pouco "revoltada" pela aparente falta de pesquisa sobre festividades e tradições da minha ilha, bem como a aparente falha de revisão pela editora. Por tudo isto, foi-me difícil, enquanto leitora, separar as águas, e não dar importância às passagens que aqui ia lendo. Sou mais do que apologista de darmos a conhecer o que de belo tem os Açores, mas utilizem os termos e dados corretos.
- "As touradas à corda costumam ter três ou quatro touros. Diz-se que o quinto é a ressaca no dia seguinte", pág. 56. Pois bem, aqui vos digo que as touradas nunca tem três touros. Tem e SEMPRE, quatro touros. O quinto touro, é o convívio que ocorre durante o intervalo das touradas em casa das pessoas por onde passa a tourada. Ainda acrescento quase garantidamente, que todas não terminam em ressaca.
- "... a aldeia dele ficava no lado norte da ilha...", pág. 87. E esta "aldeia" a que a autora refere repete e volta a repetir até ao fim do livro. De todas as vezes que a lia, quase que tinha de fazer mentalmente uma pausa sem me aperceber, para tentar descodificar o que era uma "aldeia". Na ilha Terceira, não existem "aldeias". Existem sim, "freguesias", "vilas" e 2 cidades.
- "alcatra (um prato tradicional açoriano de carne, feito numa panela de barro)", pág. 120. A alcatra é um prato tradicional, açoriano. Contudo, não é feita nem cozinhada numa panela de barro. Essa panela tem um nome e chama-se "alguidar" de barro.
- "... pelo que a caminhada geralmente não demora mais do que quatro horas.", pág. 153. Esta senhora merecia uma salva de palmas se o conseguir ela própria bater esse recorde de todas as freguesias (e não estou a falar das freguesias vizinhas, como é óbvio) que pelos vistos aí insere. Quatro horas para uma peregrinação à Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, situada na freguesia da Serreta... é de louvar! Enquanto terceirense já a fiz de vários pontos da ilha (Lajes-Serreta, cerca de 7h; S.Brás-Serreta, cerca de 5h; Quatro Ribeiras-Serreta, cerca de 4h,...) mas nem preciso estar aqui a puxar pela minha cabeça, se tivesse pegado minimamente na aplicação do GoogleMaps (que já existia quando escreveu este livro. Sim! Podemos viver muito atrás em certas coisas, mas tecnologia, internet não nos falta - coisa que às vezes fica sub-entendido neste livro - escassez destes recursos) teria conseguido escrever este parágrafo às direitas.
- "... os horários dos restaurantes raramente são exatos...". Epá. Nunca tive grandes problemas neste sentido... mas isto ocorrer pontualmente? Acho estranho.
- "As capelas são cobertas de flores frescas e cada aldeia faz uma procissão com meninas vestidas de rainhas, com vestidos e capas brancas, homens com bandeiras medievais e algumas pessoas com cestos de pão à cabeça." pág. 227. É certo que nas comemorações e celebração do Divino Espírito Santo, cada freguesia tem a sua tradição, mas uma coisa é certa: na ilha Terceira não existe "procissão", existe sim "coroação". Na ilha Terceira não existe "rainhas" nem "capas brancas", quanto muito quero acreditar que houve alguma troca com alguma cidade na diáspora. Usava-se no passado a roupa branca, contudo e cada vez mais essa tradição da cor da roupa tem vindo a cair. "Pessoas com cestos de pão à cabeça", nunca vi (pelo menos desde que me lembro de existir).
- "Nos Açores, distribuem instrumentos às crianças no ensino básico, e elas aprendem os seus instrumentos juntas ao mesmo tempo que aprendem a tocar como uma banda." pág. 232. Estando por dentro da área da educação, e dizendo que nos Açores se aplicam as mesmas leis, decretos e ensino que em Portugal Continental, onde é que se encontra este ponto no currículo dos alunos que não o consigo encontrar?
Acho que foi a maior review alguma vez escrita por mim. Mas todos estes pontos que acima menciono fizeram com que não consegui-se saborear a leitura como era suposto.
July 7, 2023
Gostei imenso de saber mais sobre os Açores, a diáspora açoriana, e de muitas das descrições dos lugares por onde a autora vai passando. Também algumas tiradas bastante perspicazes!
Não gostei da escrita, muito confusa, não prende. Dei por mim a querer que apenas houvesse retratos da vida nos Açores, os momentos que achei mais interessante.
Talvez devesse ter lido em inglês, pois a edição portuguesa está cheia de erros e gralhas…
Não gostei da escrita, muito confusa, não prende. Dei por mim a querer que apenas houvesse retratos da vida nos Açores, os momentos que achei mais interessante.
Talvez devesse ter lido em inglês, pois a edição portuguesa está cheia de erros e gralhas…
October 12, 2024
Kind of a fluffy memoir. Read in order to have a richer vacation experience in the Azores and definitely learned a bit but learned more about the author and not sure I cared. She’s a good writer though and I appreciate what she did here.
July 22, 2020
The author launches into a quest to discover the draw of the islands of the Portuguese Azores through an inadvertent festival gathering near her California home where a large community of immigrants from the Azores reside. Interesting history of the Azores woven into stories described by many people living in California and the island of Terceira. The author spends many months over a span of years forging friendships while gathering a perspective on the people from the Remote Azores, many that left for California or Canada but are drawn back to their homeland. We learn about the continuous neighborhood festivals and gain a strong sense of the islands and what a community means. The authors life evolves as her career as a journalist tumbles through highs and lows along with her love life often rather pathetically.
I found the scattering of stories, people and names referenced extremely disjointed and very difficult to follow.
The descriptions of the Azores and beauty of the island were the highlight.
I found the scattering of stories, people and names referenced extremely disjointed and very difficult to follow.
The descriptions of the Azores and beauty of the island were the highlight.
April 9, 2019
Whether or not you enjoy this book may depend on your personal style of traveling.
Do you prefer to see...
A) more places, spending less time in each; or,
B) fewer places, getting to know each well.
If you answered A, you may find "The Tenth Island" slow-going, and slightly tedious. But if you answered B, you may find this a lovely, meandering read, as I did.
Much of the book details the connections between the Azores and the Azorean communities of central California, Boston, and Toronto. Inherent in this are feelings of otherness, but also of belonging. These immigrant / emigrant experiences are key in our understanding of our neighbors in today's world.
While I cannot condone the bullfighting / outrunning of bulls, I was heartened to learn of Terceira's efforts to improve the cagarros (bird) population.
[To be fair, my personal interest in Portugal, the Azores, and the Portuguese language are quite high. This may have influenced my enjoyment of the book!]
Do you prefer to see...
A) more places, spending less time in each; or,
B) fewer places, getting to know each well.
If you answered A, you may find "The Tenth Island" slow-going, and slightly tedious. But if you answered B, you may find this a lovely, meandering read, as I did.
Much of the book details the connections between the Azores and the Azorean communities of central California, Boston, and Toronto. Inherent in this are feelings of otherness, but also of belonging. These immigrant / emigrant experiences are key in our understanding of our neighbors in today's world.
While I cannot condone the bullfighting / outrunning of bulls, I was heartened to learn of Terceira's efforts to improve the cagarros (bird) population.
[To be fair, my personal interest in Portugal, the Azores, and the Portuguese language are quite high. This may have influenced my enjoyment of the book!]
July 12, 2019
Well, I knew nothing of the Azores before reading this book, so I found it very interesting. The author did a great job getting to know the people of the Azores and wrote about what seems to be a disappearing culture.
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