An Island Away

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Overview

Paradise, but not for amateurs. A vivid tale of flexible morality unfolds in Aruba.

In his debut novel, An Island Away, Daniel Putkowski takes us far from the sparkling beaches and glamorous hotels of his small caribbean isle, to a waning refinery boomtown of barroom brothels, flexible morality, and one tourist trap known as Charlie's Bar. In a place that's more Wild West than tropical paradise, we meet Luz, a young Colombian mother working as a prostitute to pay off her family's debt, and Sam, an aging American expatriate looking to perpetuate his flamboyant youth. Together they find Captain Nathan Beck, washed ashore and barely alive after his tugboat...
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Overview

Paradise, but not for amateurs. A vivid tale of flexible morality unfolds in Aruba.

In his debut novel, An Island Away, Daniel Putkowski takes us far from the sparkling beaches and glamorous hotels of his small caribbean isle, to a waning refinery boomtown of barroom brothels, flexible morality, and one tourist trap known as Charlie's Bar. In a place that's more Wild West than tropical paradise, we meet Luz, a young Colombian mother working as a prostitute to pay off her family's debt, and Sam, an aging American expatriate looking to perpetuate his flamboyant youth. Together they find Captain Nathan Beck, washed ashore and barely alive after his tugboat sinks in a storm. For each of them, the town of San Nicolaas provides hope amid desperation as they live dangerously and grapple with reality in pursuit of their dreams. It all unfolds under Charlie's watchful eye. He knows that on his desert island you have to improvise.

Drawing on more than a decade of visiting and eventually living on the island of Aruba, Putkowski has captured a moment in time that is quickly fading throughout the Caribbean. "I wanted to honor my friends and acquaintances who welcomed me to a part of the Caribbean that is still authentic. They showed me a world apart from the franchise hotels, cruise ships, and gift shops. Not all of it is beautiful, but every bit is real. Here I was exposed to the genuine drama of close-quarters living in a one-industry town on the flip side of paradise. Survival is easy, prosperity something else entirely, and progress in either case is measured on a constantly changing scale. Living here, within the same environment as An Island Away, is like smashing thepiñata, you never know what's going to fall out."

In his honest and often heartbreaking story, Putkowski has crafted an unforgettable young heroine searching for her identity in a place where the best and worst of human nature is laid bare. The haunting choices she must make along the way resonate long after the final page is turned.

What People Are Saying

Arthur D. Jensen
"A no-holds-barred look at the island. A must read for those who plan to visit."--(Arthur D. Jensen, Lago-Colony.com)
Ren Koppejan
"A brilliant read. Reveals a part of the island most tourists never see."--(René Koppejan, Astoria Hotel & Restaurant, San Nicolaas, Aruba)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780981595900
  • Publisher: Hawser Press
  • Publication date: 5/1/2008
  • Pages: 490
  • Sales rank: 258,374
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 9.00 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Daniel Putkowski
Daniel Putkowski, captivated by Aruba's cultural diversity, divides his time between the island, Spain, and a suburb of Philadelphia. He is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. A sequel to An Island Away titled Under a Blue Flag will follow Putkowski's next release, Bonk's Bar, due 2009.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 7 )

Rating Distribution

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(6)

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Sort by: Showing all of 7 Customer Reviews
  • Posted April 10, 2011

    highly recommended

    I have been to Aruba over 20 times and I felt like I was right there experiencing all the action while reading this book..The characters jumped off the pages and it made me anticipate my next trip back to paradise even more..I have read Daniel's other two books and they are just as mesmerizing as this one..I can't wait to read the sequel Under A Blue Flag..

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 29, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    An Island Away

    I enjoyed this book! I've been to Aruba many times and never knew this side of it. We visited Charlies Bar when we were there the last time and I really felt like I understood the book so much more. truely a wonderful book.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted February 19, 2009

    Great Read

    I have been in Aruba many times as a tourist since 1989 and this book gives a total different view of the island. ¿An Island Away¿ is a riveting story of what live was/is like in part of San Nicolas. The writer weaves a tale of how 3 life¿s come together and their inter-actions.
    Once I started reading the book I had a difficult time putting it down.
    I can not wait for the next book when it comes out in a year or two.

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  • Posted February 5, 2009

    Great Reading

    I just read An Island Far Away. I would never expect a story with a hooker as the protaganist to be so motivating. The characters were so colorfully portrayed I wanted to fly to Aruba and visit "the other side of the Island" It was hard to put the book down as the continually evolving story was captivating. The story was one detailing the will of the human spirit, although slightly offbeat it was a love story between the characters, the Island, and their dreams.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 5, 2009

    GREAT STORY! FASCINATING CHARACTERS!

    An Island Away is a story about the little known dark side of Aruba that tourists don't know about. It's about the bars, the ladies of the night, the refinery workers and the locals. The setting is beautiful, and the characters are very well drawn. I came to feel as if I knew them, and I cared about what happened to them as the story progressed. Even the minor characters are fleshed out and interesting. I never knew where story was going. It was exciting to read and hard to put down. The ending made me want to know more about what happened the main characters. This would make a terrific movie! It is an exciting story with colorful characters.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 19, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 16, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

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