{"product_id":"accidentals-9781948814164","title":"Accidentals","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout Accidentals\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA 2019 National Endowment for the Arts Project Grantee\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"A rich portrait of a country and its people, relayed with detail and wonder, thanks to a naturalist's eye.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eFOREWORD REVIEWS\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccidentals\u003c\/strong\u003e follows Gabriel as he accompanies his mother back to Uruguay after three decades in California. What begins as a family obligation transforms into a journey of self-discovery when Gabriel falls in love with local biologist Alejandra. The novel weaves together themes of environmental crisis, Cold War history, and transnational identity as the couple confronts both their countries' pasts and their uncertain future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Story of Environmental Awakening\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGabriel starts as an observer—watching his mother's family dynamics with the same detached curiosity he applies to cataloging new bird species in Uruguay's marshlands. This naturalist's perspective grounds the narrative in rich ecological detail, bringing the landscape to vivid life. When romance draws him deeper into Alejandra's world, Gabriel must confront the environmental devastation threatening their generation while untangling the political complexities inherited from their parents' Cold War era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTransnational Family Saga\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe novel explores the complexities of repatriation, cultural identity, and mother-son relationships across borders. Gabriel's journey from California desk worker to active participant in his family's saga examines what it means to belong to multiple countries and cultures simultaneously. The narrative captures the tensions, humor, and heartbreak of families separated by geography and reunited by circumstance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan M. Gaines\u003c\/strong\u003e brings unique credentials to her fiction writing. Author of \u003ci\u003eCarbon Dreams\u003c\/i\u003e and the science narrative \u003ci\u003eEchoes of Life: What Fossil Molecules Reveal About Earth History\u003c\/i\u003e, Gaines combines literary craftsmanship with scientific expertise. Her background in chemistry and oceanography, along with years spent birding California's coastline, informs the naturalist elements throughout \u003cstrong\u003eAccidentals\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGaines has received numerous accolades including the 2018 Suffrage Science Award and an Art in Science Fellowship at the Hanse Institute for Advanced Study. Her short stories have appeared in literary journals, been selected for the Best of the West anthology, and nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She divides her time between California, Uruguay, and Germany, where she co-directs the Fiction Meets Science research and fellowship program.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePerfect For Readers Who Appreciate\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCharacter-driven literary fiction with environmental themes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransnational narratives exploring dual cultural identities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNature writing integrated with contemporary storytelling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamily sagas spanning generations and continents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLatin American settings and perspectives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Torrey House Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50493310599442,"sku":"9781948814164","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_0f478d3d-0798-4e68-9699-4a6ec47fbb90.jpg?v=1730643068","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/accidentals-9781948814164","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}