Overseas American: Growing Up Gringo in the Tropics

Overseas American is an amazing story of a boy growing up under very difficult family circumstances and learning how to meet his own spiritual and physical needs. As an "overseas American" I found it fascinating to find we had many shared experiences growing up in Latin American and in returning to the United States. I highly recommend this book.

Gene Bell-Villada's memoir is a poignant view of a boy growing up in the midst of cultural, linguistic and scholastic confusion. In addition, he convincingly captures his child view as his parents flounder and eventually dissolve the family unit. This frank and instructive tale is a much needed addition to the "third culture kid" literature as more people find themselves the offspring of cross-cultural and inter-racial marriages brought up in world venues not connected with either parent and devoid of anchoring safety nets.

Having grown up an "overseas American," I found this book to be an honest, perceptive and touching account, resonating with some of my own experiences. It is also a tale of a harrowing home life (more accurately, lack thereof), of poignant self-discovery and redemption livened by a wry sense of humor. A compelling personal story with universal appeal. Highly recommended.