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Surviving Paradise: One Year on a Disappearing Island [Hardcover]

Peter Rudiak-Gould
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 3, 2009

Just one month after his 21st birthday, Peter Rudiak-Gould moved to Ujae, a remote atoll in the Marshall Islands located 70 miles from the nearest telephone, car, store, or tourist, and 2,000 miles from the closest continent. He spent the next year there, living among its 450 inhabitants and teaching English to its schoolchildren.

At first blush, Surviving Paradise is a thoughtful and laugh-out-loud hilarious documentation of Rudiak-Gould’s efforts to cope with daily life on Ujae as his idealistic expectations of a tropical paradise confront harsh reality. But Rudiak-Gould goes beyond the personal, interweaving his own story with fascinating political, linguistic, and ecological digressions about the Marshall Islands. Most poignant are his observations of the noticeable effect of global warming on these tiny, low-lying islands and the threat rising water levels pose to their already precarious existence.

An Eat, Pray, Love as written by Paul Theroux, Surviving Paradise is a disarmingly lighthearted narrative with a substantive emotional undercurrent.

 



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Thousands of miles from home and in a culture equally distant from his own, Rudiak-Gould's first night on the island of Ujae made him lonely to the point of physical pain. Yet after only a few weeks in the farthest outreaches of the Marshall Islands, the author overcame boredom almost immediately, bringing the reader along on an equally gripping journey of one year in one of the most remote, fascinating places on Earth. Rudiak-Gould, a volunteer English teacher, came to Ujae knowing little about the Marshallese language and even less about its culture. Yet as he became more familiar with his surroundings and the native tongue, he found a community that eventually saw him as one of their own. Nearly every aspect of Ujae is dissected, from its horrific educational standards to the drastic differences in their respective social systems and the eclectic array of Marshallese food (Rudiak-Gould describes one dish as liquid flatulence). Rudiak-Gould also lets the reader in on his own personal struggles in dealing with children (and their parents) in a place where corporal punishment is encouraged. At the same time, he becomes adept at Marshallese activities like spearfishing, allowing him to contribute to a culture based on survival. Alternatively hilarious, emotional and thought provoking (Rudiak-Gould analyzes the potentially catastrophic effects of global warming on the low-lying area), the book is an eye-opening look into a beautiful yet harsh paradise far from the reaches of tourism. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"[A]n extraordinarily engaging diary-portrait of a 21st-century castaway uncovering the everyday riches, enduring frustrations, and confounding contradictions of life in a South Pacific paradise." --Dan George in National Geographic Traveler

“[U]tterly unexpected, vivid, [and] blessedly funny.”—Ernest Callenbach, author of bestseller Ecotopia and Publisher’s Lunch  
 

“In Surviving Paradise, Peter Rudiak-Gould has pulled off the improbable: turning a year spent on a remote Pacific island the size of a shopping mall into a memorable, moving narrative.”Tony Cohan, author of On Mexican Time and Mexican Days

 

“In Surviving Paradise, Peter Rudiak-Gould transcends and defies every travel-memoir cliché (i.e. ‘I went there to save them, but it was they who saved me’), reinventing the notion of what travel writing can accomplish. Without ever resorting to an expected thought, he turns his anthropologist's eye to his year on Ujae with humor, sensitivity, intelligence, warmth, and wit. In transporting us to this tiny island, he ultimately casts a surprising light on human nature and the ways we inhabit and perceive the world around us. From his rollicking adventures in spear fishing to his efforts to master the Marshallese language, Rudiak-Gold has written a dynamic narrative of personal and global transformation that's a joy from departure to arrival.”—Liza Monroy, author of Mexican High

 

“With an eye for humor that is fresh and surprising, Peter Rudiak-Gould lays out the delightful ironies—and the vexing conundrums—of life in a traditional culture on the brink of change.  His voice has that rare quality of a starry-eyed romantic who has gained wisdom and perspective by immersing himself in the unfamiliar.  His tales from the edge of the world are at times deeply moving, quite often stunningly insightful, and consistently hilarious.  I found myself grinning by page two.” —Sarah Erdman, author of Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village

 

“There's magic at work here. Not until late in the book—well after he has seduced you with his humor, poetic prose, and elegant observations about life on a drowning tropical island—do you realize that the window Rudiak-Gould has been holding open and allowing you to peek through is not actually a window, but a brilliantly-disguised mirror.”—Brad Newsham, author of Take Me With You: A Round-the-World Journey to Invite a Stranger Home

 

“At once a travel narrative, a personal memoir, and an anthropological excursion, Surviving Paradise is also an utterly charming, often very funny account of a young man's surreal immersion in a relatively traditional Pacific culture. I recommend it heartily!”—Lawrence Millman, author of Last Places

 

“In this surprising and funny memoir, Peter Rudiak-Gould falls in love with his fantasy of the tiny Micronesian paradise where he is assigned to teach English, then runs headlong into the realities of isolation, cultural difference, and global warming. Surviving Paradise is a gentle, witty reminder that we live on an entirely unpredictable planet.”—Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic and Desire

 

“Fresh out of college, Peter Rudiak-Gould went looking for the biggest adventure in the most faraway place he could imagine. His boyish enchantment with mystery itself matured into a thoughtful appreciation of the people he came to know on a primitive island. The resulting memoir is sensitive, funny and true.” —Sharon Dirlam, author of Beyond Siberia: Two Years in a Forgotten Place

 


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Union Square Press; 1 edition (November 3, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402766645
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402766640
  • Product Dimensions: 1 x 6 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #538,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
(32)
4.9 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving Paradise, One Year on a Disappearing Island November 2, 2009
Format:Hardcover
Surviving Paradise, One Year on a Disappearing Island, is a timely book. Peter Rudiak-Gould has captured a way of life that is far removed from his California roots. As a young man, he volunteered to teach on Ujae, one of the Marshall Islands. He ventured into a very foreign way of life and studied it with a fine tooth comb. This author is obviously extremely observant of small, interesting details; the ones most of us might never know about except by reading this fascinating tale. Peter's own values were challenged to his bones as he tried to teach the young Marshallese children. But he didn't leave; he got in there and worked his tail off. He learned their language and he learned their values. The writing is superb; intellectual, but easy to read. Not only is it a story of his teaching, but of love, sickness, boredom and adventure. It would be an ideal introduction to an anthropology course because is covers so much in a friendly and easy-to-read way. It would be an adventure for those who might want to try something like this, but who might need a sober introduction! A fun read for any age. Well done!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and well balanced November 9, 2009
Format:Hardcover
One of the finest travel-oriented books I've read. It's an engaging look at a country and culture that most of us have probably never thought or heard much about. Perhaps most surprising, when compared to similar books I've read, is the degree to which the author manages to present such a balanced narrative. He compassionate and sensitive when appropriate, but also uncompromising in his criticism and introspective analysis. One note: while the subtitle calls to mind the environmental issues that may be facing these islands, they are NOT the focus of the book. Only a small section at the end is dedicated to the potential role global warming could play in the future of the Marshall Islands. I point this out lest someone might pass this book by, thinking it were a treatise on global warming and the environment, when instead the focus is squarely on the experience of living in one of the most remote and isolated corners of the planet.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars surviving paradise - unexpectedly- December 5, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I just finished reading Surviving Paradise and I can't recommend it too highly. It is fun to read as well as a sensitive and perceptive account of a year in a different culture and landscape. There was one twist after another where Peter stated a seemingly unequivocal fact or emotion only for the reader to find a little later that nothing was quite as clear cut as it seemed. The writing is beautifully descriptive and sensual, as well as very funny. I finally learned to always expect the unexpected. The book reads like a mystery in that only in the end is the culture (or mix... but I won't give it away) unraveled and found to make pretty good sense. I know what I'm going to be giving for Christmas presents this year; will be ordering more copies!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Profound and completely accurate
As someone who lived on a coral atoll while in the Peace Corps, I was very interested in reading Rudiak-Gould's account. I wasn't prepared to be bowled over, but I was. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Eric1993
5.0 out of 5 stars Life on a pristine atoll in the Marshall Island
Having experienced life on an Atoll in the Marshall Islands in the mid eighties, I could relate to the excellent view of life in the middle of nowhere on a beautiful island with... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Ver de Livre
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
It was written ok, but wasn't as engaging as I hoped it would be. It isn't holding my interest and I keep finding other travelogue type of books that I can't put down. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kevin B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
A very interesting look at a pretty much unknown part of the world. A heartfelt story, a travelogue, a geography lesson. Loved it!
Published 6 months ago by Lynda
5.0 out of 5 stars Getting a Dose of Reality
When Rudiak-Gould decided to go to the Marshall Islands to teach English for a year, he asked to be sent to a remote island, away from the capital city. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Chris Beal
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book
I thoroughly enjoyed the book! I really didn't want to put
it down, once I started reading it! Read more
Published 20 months ago by jonessten
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this Book!
I absolutely loved this book. For everyone who ever wondered what it would be like to immerse yourself in a completely foreign culture for a year, this is the book for you. Read more
Published on January 18, 2011 by Christina
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, balanced, clever
What a fun book! It describes the authors life as a volunteer teacher on a remote island in the Pacific. Read more
Published on November 20, 2010 by JunkyardWisdom
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best travel books ever!
Amazing insight, funny, clever, and just plain awesome. Deeply moving, intellectual, and a well articulated personal experience. Read more
Published on August 16, 2010 by Team Love
5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories and meaningful beyond just the islands
Rudiak-Gould has written a classic about life in the Marshall Islands. But his book is not only about the Islands, it is about culture shock, fitting in, teaching in a bad school,... Read more
Published on June 17, 2010 by B. Green
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