It is a tradition in Dominican households that a cup of organic, black coffee is served to visitors as a representation of good manners. As a native Dominican I have been instructed from a young age that we owe coffee to hard working campesinos, and for this we have to be very grateful for the beverage.
When I came across Julia Alvarez’s work “A Cafecito Story” I never imagined that the book would bring me back to the wellknown feeling of having a cafecito on the balcony, giving me a break from my fast-paced life.
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After reading various other of her books such as "In The Time of The Butterflies" and "In the Name of Salomé," I have grown accustomed to expect very little romance from her novels, and more of a strong woman who saves herself. To my surprise, even though there is a woman in the novel, the course of the story shifts toward the denied history of coffee companies that have taken the work away from workers (campesinos) and finding yourself within nature.
Alvarez has a reputation of being a Dominican author who contrasts both first world, the United States, and third world, the Dominican Republic, countries. This time, her connection is something as simple as a coffee cup.
Because coffee in New York is the magic drink that keeps us awake in our fast-paced life, we forget that in countries such as the Dominican Republic, coffee it’s a source of income for several families who come from a lifeline of farmers. Coffee in the Dominican Republic has a reputation of having a higher worth if it's domestic, the mostly organically-grown coffee it's cultivated in small farms — less than eight acres — and shade grown (under canopy, guava or/and macadamia trees). Because the tedious job is something that campesinos are taught from a very young age and depend on, coffee companies in the Dominican Republic are not welcomed, for instead of giving to the campesinos, they take their work, leaving them with no source of income.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Joe, a man who is tired of his monotonous life in Nebraska, and decides to take a trip to the Dominican Republic. Although he was dreaming of being a typical tourist in the island, his visit took an unexpected turn, leading him to discover why is there so much respect for el cafecito in the island.
Once again, Alvarez, with her prose, brings her readers a story of love, change and honor. She transports her readers to the Dominican Republic, while educating and providing a personal insight into the economic system, and the importance of local farms. The Latin American author has a reputation as a storyteller, however, in most of her novels, including this one, she carries her readers through history in her fiction, educating us while being descriptive and entertaining.
The book makes us feel enlightened. The story will leave readers with a warm feeling, and the desire of taking a vacation in the Caribbean to find themselves. Expect an unexpected turn, and an immense craving for coffee.
