Dominican Republic Sunrise

Destination: Dominican Republic

Book: The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

I mentioned a Don’t Even Go There Book in a previous post.  That book actually scores high as one of the best books I have read in a long time.  But The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz does not inspire travel–although it definitely does inform about place.

If I had ever considered Caribbean travel to the Dominican Republic, this book would remove that destination from my wish list.  Granted people sail or fly into D.R. and stay happily cosseted in high class resorts without venturing out on the street, but that is not my style.

And yet, Diaz works hard to educate those who, as it puts it “missed their mandatory two seconds of Dominican history..”  We are set straight about the nature of the Trujillo regime and the few Dominicans we  actually heard of in the fifties and sixties, like Profiro Rubirosa, international playboy and, according to Diaz all-around bad ass.

The grim history of the island nation has left its mark not only on the island dwellers, but also on those who migrated to New York/New Jersey.  But Diaz’ book is anything but grim.  He tells the story of three generations with no holds barred sardonic humor.  I laughed out loud at horrific revelations–not because I am heartless, but because Diaz wanted me to see the incredible (as in unbelievable)  nature of the acts of the dictator. Understanding a bleak history, as in Ireland’s struggle for independence, Greece’s long subjection to Turkey or Russia’s more recent history is indeed “mandatory” for the well informed traveler. Diaz understands that we would turn away if the picture were too bleak, so he leavens it with an almost adolescent humor.

Ironically, I finished the non-travel book on the same weekend that I saw Slumdog Millionaire, a non-travel movie (IMHO). From each, I learned a great deal about a destination that I no longer wanted to visit.

Have you ever taken a place off your wish list because of a book you read or a movie you saw?  What does an understanding of the worst of history add to the total experience of a place?  Come join the discussion. ( See previous post on Slumdog Millionaire and slum tours) And as usual, if you enjoy this discussion, please share the joy by clicking one of the buttons below. Thanks.

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