Hidden Latitudes

Imagine Amelia Earhart stranded on a tropical island, and imagine that 40 yrs later a young couple beaches their sailboat on that same island. That's the premise of Hidden Latitudes. Anderson writes convincingly, alternating between Earhart's voice (and now 70yo doesn't immediately reveal herself to these newcomers) and a 3rd-person narrative of the two sailors, whose marriage was shaky to begin with, and now they've got shipwreck to contend with.Sounds iffy, right? But set aside your doubts, pick this book up, and read it. Besides being a superb first novel, it's a superb story. You won't be disappointed.

In the hugeness of the Pacific ocean, the sky & an unnamedisland, a hushed and musing voice speaks to us of 40 years ofsolitude, of watching & waiting for a white sail to hove to on the horizon, enter the lagoon & come into the calm reaches of the island. A couple with a stale marriage are on board & marooned while they repair their vessel, the watcher remembers. Deeply magical, fascinating & thoughtful. Lovely stuff!...

This book made me sigh when it was finished. I read it a couple of years ago, and have hunted for a copy to keep since. Beautifully and lovingly written, it speaks to all of us who have wondered if we have the courage and strength to face real solitude, if we will come out on the other side of it changed forever. A confimation of the will to survive, whether on a deserted island or in the middle of a traffic jam.

What a spectacular read! I've never read a book as lyrical as this one. The words flow from her pages to your heart like a perfect glass of wine. This book is not about Earhart. It is about solitutde, inner peace, struggle and ultimate self acceptance. I'm an avid reader, always looking for the perfect book. This is one I'll treasure all my days. I hope Ms. Anderson continues to use her unquestionable gift to enrich our lives.

We probably will never know what happened to Amelia Earhart and her navigator, but this novel surely sets the imagination on an interesting journey. Youth and age, solitude and lonliness, nature and science, wisdom and immaturity, patience and restlessness, the self-reliant and the self-centered are symbolized beautifully. From beginning to end, Ms. Anderson's lyrical prose enhances the rhythm of nature's peace and wrath. I look forward to her next book.