I have never had a real desire to vacation in Hawaii, but having read this memoir, subtitled
"In Pursuit of an Impassioned Life on an Imperiled Island", I am now tempted to do so.
The author writes about the time in her life when she worked at the National Tropical Botanical
Garden on the island of Kauai. A gifted writer, Fleeson captures the sensual atmosphere of the
100-acre estate where the garden is located and creates memorable pictures of the people she met
on the island.
As much a story of the attempt to preserve native plants that are disappearing at an astonishing
rate as it is a celebration of these halcyon days in her life, the author takes the reader into
the rain forest on plant expeditions and shares moments of pure bliss on the secluded beaches
nearer her simple home.
As you read this book you'll discover a Hawaii not found in the travel brochures or listed on
most tourist itineraries. The strong sense of place that Fleeson captures in the first person
narrative will utterly mesmerize the armchair adventurers who accompany her on this evocative
journey to paradise.