A Mansion on the Moon

Autorentext

C. Sablan Gault worked as a newspaper reporter, feature writer, and columnist under this pen name, recommended by her editor, to highlight that she was Chamorro and not someone hired from the States. She agreed to the "by line" so that her most important names would fit on one line. Catherine Sablan Gault was born in Guam. She and her siblings were navy brats who grew up on navy bases around the country until their father retired and returned the family returned to Guam. Catherine completed high school and college in Guam and holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology. After seven years with Guam's then-only morning daily newspaper, Catherine went on to serve as press secretary to a Guam governor, to a senator of the Guam Legislature, and to Guam's delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. She also served as a writer and researcher for a Guam political status education commission and an editor for the office Guam's public auditor. She retired from government service in 2009. She and her husband David, a Vietnam-era Seabee, have three children and six grandchildren.

Klappentext

Set in the turbulent period of Guam history, between the Spanish-American War and World War II, the lives and loves of three Chamorro women are told in vivid detail. A navy seaman leaves young Amanda de Leon broken hearted. For Sylvia de Leon Camacho, happiness ends too soon. Life teaches the level-headed Vivian Camacho that falling for an American serviceman is futile, like reaching for the moon. Cultural and racial prejudices magnify the distance. Trying to build a life with one is as impossible as building a mansion on the moon. Then a navy civil engineer comes into Vivian's life. Kirkus Review: The extensive cultural descriptions specific to Guam and its people add a depth and singularity…preventing this wartime romance from coming across as trite. While Gault tackles weighty political issues…she also manages to tell a story that is simultaneously wistful and uplifting. Blueink Review: …An engaging romance with wonderfully written and fully realized characters...The author's strong voice is never more evident than when she describes the...changes from a peaceful community and military outpost to an island ravaged by World War II…both stories are dramatic, heart-wrenching but eventually uplifting. Foreword Review: …The emotional power of the intricate tale carries the story…A Mansion on the Moon does not gloss over racial bigotry and prejudices, adding a realistic layer to this hopeful tale…Despite its tragic opening, the novel soars to dramatic heights as it illustrates that love can indeed conquer all…