Rabbit in the Moon by Heather Diamond

Rabbit in the Moon by Heather Diamond

Blame it on Hawaii's rainbows, sparkling beaches, fruity cocktails, and sensuous breezes. For Heather Diamond, there for a summer course on China, a sea change began when romance bloomed with Fred, an ethnomusicologist from Hong Kong. One night under a full moon, Fred tells Heather the story of Chang'e, the moon goddess. He points out how the shadows form a rabbit pounding an elixir of immortality, but all Heather sees in the moon is a man's face.

Returning to her teaching job in Texas, Heather wonders if the whirlwind affair was a moment of madness. She is, after all, forty-five years old, married, a mother and grandmother. Rabbit in the Moon follows Heather and Fred's relationship as well as Heather's challenges with multiple mid-life reinventions, such as moving to Hawaii, entering a Ph.D. program, and living in a dorm with students half her age. When Fred goes on sabbatical, Heather finds herself on the Hong Kong island of Cheung Chau with his large, boisterous family. For an independent, reserved American, adjusting isn't easy.

Moving between Hawaii, Hong Kong, and the continental US, Rabbit in the Moon is an honest, finely crafted meditation on intercultural marriage, the importance of family, and finding the courage to follow your dreams.— Camphor Press

“Diamond is the ideal travel companion for both life and love on any shore—witty, self-deprecating, and observant.” —Joelle Fraser, author of Territory of Men and The Forest House

"Has all the ingredients of the best memoirs: an exotic setting, quirky characters, and cultural discord ultimately redeemed by love and acceptance." -Claire Chao, author of Remembering Shanghai (Writer's Digest Grand Prize winner)

"Insightful, upbeat and written with humour in eloquent prose." -Karen Ma, Asian Cha

"A great read. Authentic and beautifully written." -Noreen Mir, RTHK's 123 Show