Smith spends so much time developing the Costa Rican context that it’s hard to tell where her story is going. But just wait: The intrigue thickens rapidly, accumulating characters and subplots with each chapter, and the denouement is a scene of horrifying violence.
Chang is the Horatio Alger of astronauts. He arrived in the U.S. with $50, he graduated from high school on schedule, and he (literally) reached for the stars. “Dream’s Journey” is not a breezy read, but it is a powerful social document, told by the same man who has lived this extraordinary life.
It is no secret that most tourists – even intrepid backpackers – flee San José as soon as they can. But Michael Miller makes a compelling argument that San José is worth exploring.
Developing nations are no longer the devil-may-care playgrounds of yesteryear, and visitors should come prepared. Love it or hate it, the world is busier and more crowded than ever, and the guidebook publishers have been scrambling to keep up.
For author Caroline Vu, who once lived in Costa Rica and wrote for The Tico Times, “Palawan Story” has certain autobiographical elements: Like Kim, Vu was also born in Vietnam, she was evacuated during the war, and she lived much of her life in the United States.
