I hesitate to give this book three stars, since the author writes well and has a lot of interesting things to say, but, in my opinion, the plot was unfocused and dragged badly at times. At times, it seemed like a memoir, and, at other times, a report or an essay. I think it would have been much more successful as several books, each focusing on a certain theme or format. The theme of this book, as I see it, although interesting, was buried under so much unnecessary detail that it was difficult to fully appreciate. Less would have been much more.
If I could, I’d give this book 2.5 stars because parts of it were absolutely engrossing and fascinating, and if you are willing to wade through the more tedious parts, you may enjoy it. I’m glad I read it, and was captivated at times, even though at other times, I had to force myself to continue reading. The author has had an extraordinary life and shares many valuable insights into the pitfalls of well-intended “charity”. I’ll look forward to reading more from her.

This is a complicated memoir. Much of the book is depressing and disheartening, but I encourage readers to stick with the book. The missionaries and foreign aid workers were often paternalistic and prejudiced. The reader will probably dislike many of the main characters at times -- including the author and her parents. Even those who meant well often did not trust the Haitian people to properly manage projects. Dr. Hodges, who ran the mission hospital, spent decades healing the sick and wounded, saving thousands of lives in the process. His family adopted some of the orphaned children and treated them the same as the biological children. He was fascinated by Haitian history and even created a historical museum. He helped train Haitian medical staff. However, he and his family insisted they had to run the hospital -- no matter how educated or dedicated, no Haitian would ever be capable of overseeing the hospital; he was convinced that without him, the hospital would collapse. Most of the foreigners made little effort to really get to know the local population outside of the Haitians that worked for the missionary hospital, school, agricultural center, etc. The people that the author's family and the other missionaries were trying to help were often poor and hungry, which made them understandably short-sighted. The author's father wanted to reforest Haiti and started multiple projects to plant large amounts of trees and get local farmers to recognize the importance of trees, as the trees would help strengthen the soil, producing better crops, and help reduce or prevent soil erosion, which was a major problem. However, faced with hunger and other needs, many of the locals would cut down the trees for firewood and charcoal, which they could sell. When the next big rain came or the next hurricane or earthquake hit, homes, fields, and lives were lost in mudslides.

The most depressing part of the book deals with the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake and the failed efforts of the UN and other foreign aid organizations, which often went about recovery efforts in the worst way possible -- not involving the Haitian people in decisions about recovery efforts; shipping in large quantities of foreign donations or purchasing from foreign countries/companies items (food, furniture, etc.) that local farmers or artisans were capable of providing/producing, which meant that the local economy was not stimulated; focusing on projects that would satisfy major donors or would make for good optics (and cutting off assistance to local organizations that would fall into line).

The author and her family, especially her parents, had a dysfunctional and at times very turbulent relationship during the years they were serving in Haiti and the years in between their time in Haiti. The author and her father were both stubborn and opinionated and did not communicate with others in the healthiest way. It has taken years and writing this book for the relationship to start to repair.

My favorite person in the book is probably Zo, who spent a lifetime working to reforest parts of Haiti and not letting obstacles deter him. He loved the land and the trees and he knew that if given the opportunity, the earth could reawaken and the land and trees thrive.

While much of life in Haiti is still bleak and dismal, especially when viewed through Western eyes, the author, as she explores and comes to terms with her relationship with Haiti, especially during her visits back as an adult, describes the beauty of Haiti -- both the natural beauty, as well as the beauty and quiet dignity of the Haitian people. She also discusses what can happen when foreigners actually listen to and uplift Haitians. When she returned to Haiti to report on the earthquake recovery for This American Life, she met up with Dr. Steve James, who had worked at the mission hospital and briefly oversaw it after Dr. Hodges died. He did not like that experience and he instead began working in small clinics where a sense of community was fostered between the staff and there was more participation in decision-making. The dentist at one small clinic was able to do major reconstructive dental work because Haitians, utilizing what was available to make what was needed, had constructed a pressurized drill and water spray operated by a bicycle pump. Dr. James commented to the author that the past few years had been the best years of his time in Haiti because he had gotten to witness and participate in the resourcefulness, resilience, and strength of the Haitian people in solving their own problems. That is a good lesson for all of us, especially when it comes to foreign aid or even aiding local communities other than our own -- we need to utilize the strengths, abilities, and knowledge of the native/local population, providing assistance as needed, but remembering that these people survived for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years without us (where "us" is often Westerners), will continue to survive after we are gone, and likely have things they could teach us and that we would benefit from learning.

I am glad I had the opportunity to read a copy of the e-book via NetGalley.

When Apricot Irving was six years old, her parents moved their family from the California desert to a missionary compound in Haiti. The Gospel of Trees is her honest, ruminative account of the years she spent in a place she describes as a “splendid, complicated, troubling, maddening, beautiful country.”

Through diary entries – hers and those of her parents – family newsletters, audio recordings and her own memories, Irving recounts the pressures and the joys of her missionary childhood and her subsequent return visit to Haiti (including those after the massive 2010 earthquake). She includes short, helpful chapters detailing Haiti’s troubled history as the target of colonial conquests and a popular mission field for foreign Christians and aid workers.

Irving’s father is an ambitious agronomist with an often-volatile temper and a passion for preaching the gospel. Her mother also has an adventurous spirit and a strong faith – she is less sure, however, that they needed to uproot their family to another country to serve God.

As white missionary kids, Irving and her siblings are outsiders forced to confront the privilege of wealth and power in a place of pervasive poverty and systemic injustice. She encounters neighbours and friends who inspire and change her. She also comes to understand that even those with noble intentions can cause great harm when they diminish the dignity and strength of the people they are seeking to help in Jesus’ name.

“It felt suddenly absurd that as missionaries we had come to teach Haitians about God. God was already here,” she writes. “Maybe our only job was to bear witness to the beauty – and the sorrow. Without denying either one.”

With clear-eyed insight and empathy, Irving pays tribute to the country that compelled her to explore the tensions of the “savior complex” through the fascinating lens of her family’s personal journey.

(Originally published in Christian Courier)

I couldn't really get into it. I'm sure it's an interesting story, it just really wasn't my type of thing. But I love the cover and name!

I had my reviewer, Sonya VanderVeen Feddema, cover this one:

In this memoir of “a recovering missionary’s daughter,” author Apricot Irving relates the story of her family’s years in Haiti, beginning in 1982 when she was six years old. Her father, a missionary agronomist, preached “the gospel of trees” as he worked feverishly, often to the detriment of his relationship with his wife and children, to convince Haitian farmers and villagers of the necessity of reforestation.
Irving’s goal in writing her fascinating narrative was empathy for her parents and all the missionaries who, according to her, tried to be “saviors.” They often worked under duress, in the midst of political turmoil, and they were hindered by failed expectations and a fractured understanding of what was best for Haiti and its people.
Based on her parents’ and her own journals, missionary newsletters, letters written to family members in North America, and—years later—interviews with many of the missionaries whom she knew during that period, Irving helps readers understand the complexities, frustrations, and glories of the missionaries’ experiences.
At times wounded and cynical herself, Irving eventually lands on a note of hope: “When I first began to write about Haiti, before my sons were born, I did not yet imagine that those first resentful drafts would become a meditation on love, in all its complexity. Or that what I had to learn from that troubling, joyful, infuriating missionary compound would become an inheritance that I would one day want to pass on to my own children.”
The Gospel of Treesoffers much to ponder for all those who have been missionaries and their children. As well, it is a significant book for anyone interested in cross-cultural experiences or contemplating becoming a missionary. (Simon & Schuster)

A beautiful portrait of a missionary family and Haiti. I loved reading The Gospel of Trees by Apricot Irving. There were two distinct features of this memoir that stood out to me--truth and sacrifice. I also fully appreciated the honesty of this book. The author wrote of painful choices her family and others made while serving as missionaries in Haiti. This is not an easy read, but it is an absolutely fabulous look into one family's struggles, choices, pain, and true cost as missionaries. A thought-provoking, can't put down, kind of book.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of Apricot Irving's memoir, The Gospel of Trees, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Apricot Irving was in elementary school during the 1980's, when her parents accepted a missionary trip to the island of Haiti. She spent a majority of her childhood living in Haiti, with occasional trips back to the United States. Irving's memoir is about finding a sense of belonging, both as an American being raised in Haiti, and of trying to connect with her father, who is temperamental and who often pushes aside the needs of his family in efforts to help his adopted country. 

LIKE- The whole time I was reading The Gospel of Trees, I kept thinking about how Irving, who is just a few years older than me, was living such a dramatically different childhood than my own. Prior to moving to Haiti when Irving was six, her parents lived a simple life in the Coachella Valley, which is only a few hours from where I was raised in Glendale. Her mother dreamed of moving to a farm in Oregon, but was committed to raising a family with Irving's father, who wanted to make a go at farming near his family in Southern California. The missionary opportunity in Haiti came due to her father's agriculture expertise, as he was able to help the struggling island with farming and forestry.

Living in Haiti was a complex situation. It's impossible to not have a place where you've made your home, especially one where Irving spent a majority of her childhood, not leave an imprint on your soul. Haiti is a very special place to Irving. It is a very special place to many of the missionary families who decided to move there, many making a life-long commitment. However, the missionaries are not always welcome. It's very complicated.

Haiti is a poverty stricken country, that has a history of trauma. It was a former colony of both Spain and France, winning its independence through a bloody revolt. It was occupied by American forces during the WW1, who stayed for twenty years. Haiti has struggled for both its independence and to figure out its own government. It certainly doesn't help that it has been ravished by natural disasters. With all of this, it is very contentious when missionary families, mostly white missionary families, try to help. Beyond race, there is also an obvious class issue. The missionary families may be giving up a lot of comforts while in Haiti and they may be considered poor (as was Irving's family) back in America, but when compared to most of the Haitians, they are very well-off. Simply living in the missionary homes gives them comforts and safety that the Haitians do not have. Also, they can always leave. Irving does a solid job of explaining Haiti's history and way it impacted the island.

Irving struggles with the poverty she witnesses and the realization that she is privileged. She feels an enormous sense of guilt, even from a young age, over this realization. Haiti is very much her home, but she also knows that she is an outsider. Her Haiti is not the same Haiti of the Haitians. 

Irving's father is a complex and difficult man. He has high expectations for his daughters that are difficult to meet and it seems that his expectations are amplified, when he is in Haiti, a place with so much need. They live in close proximity to an orphanage and her father takes a shine to an infant named Ti Marcel. Ti Marcel is a miracle baby, rebounding from near death. Ti Marcel becomes part of Irving's household and the attention that her father gives to the infant creates a lot of jealousy in Irving. Ti Marcel will later be taken in by her own family members and moved far away. Irving's father orchestrates visits to see Ti Marcel as she grows up, visits that are filled with tension and awkwardness. Even Irving's mother felt jealous towards the attention her husband paid toward Ti Marcel. For her part, Ti Marcel does not remember the family that took care of her as an infant and the visits from this white missionary family are strange. Ti Marcel made a huge impact on the dynamics of Irving's family, but she does not really understand it.

On a personal note, I visited Haiti in 2008, while on a Royal Caribbean cruise. RC has a private beach on the island, which they bring cruisers for day trips. It's is the most pristine and gorgeous beach that I've ever visited. It's paradise. It's also mostly isolated from the rest of the island and the Haitians. Really, we could have been anywhere and it didn't feel like we were on Haiti.

We did a jet ski excursion and in the middle of the excursion, while we were as far away from the beach as possible, our guide had us stop. An elderly Haitian man paddled out to us in a canoe. He was rake thin, missing both legs and nearly all of his teeth. Our guide, a local, waited as the man made the rounds to sell inexpensive jewelry and other small crafts. Everyone bought something and it was a very uncomfortable experience. I'm pretty sure that RC did not authorize this aspect of the excursion, as it seemed that they were making all efforts to keep us as isolated from Haiti as possible. The day at the beach was carefully orchestrated. At the time, I knew next to nothing about Haiti. This isn't an excuse, but a fact. Now, I feel really uncomfortable knowing that I was enjoying an amazing, luxurious day at the beach, while extreme poverty was a stones throw away. I can't think of my wonderful vacation memoirs, without wondering at what expense it was to the locals. I can't get the elderly man in the canoe out of my mind. I'm sure that in some respects the tourism helps the local economy and is welcomed, but I'm more thinking that it's wrong to visit a country in such a limited capacity. It's  a facade to keep the tourists happy. Reading The Gospel of Trees has started to breakdown that facade.

DISLIKE- Nothing. Irving's memoir is heartfelt, compelling, and thought-provoking.

RECOMMEND- Yes! The Gospel of Trees is one of the best memoirs that I've read in recent memory. It's a wonderful blend of Irving's experiences with historical information regarding Haiti. I gained deeper insight into the long-term ramifications of colonialism and of the complex issues that Haiti continues to face.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

The Gospel of Trees is Apricot Irving's memoir of growing up as a missionary's daughter in Haiti. Her father, Jon, was an agronomist who spent his time in Haiti trying to convince Haitians of the importance of planting trees for the local ecosystem. Apricot, her mother, and her sisters spent most of their time inside the missionary complex.

Irving has relied on not just her memories and journals from her time in Haiti, but the letters, journals, cassette tapes, and memories of others to reconstruct her childhood. She does her best to portray life in Haiti with all its best and worst parts on full display. She continues the book past their last stint in Haiti and into her adult life, as she tries to come to peace with her childhood.

It is hard to imagine living the way the missionaries did in Haiti by choice. I was surprised that although her dad was a missionary, little of what he did seemed to be about preaching the gospel. The book definitely showed that missionaries have their flaws, just like the rest of us. I enjoyed reading about life in another part of the world.

I was fascinated by the story of Apricot, her family, and Haiti. Reading this book made me interested in learning more and reading more about Haiti. The Gospel of Trees was an introduction, a sliver of this country's story from a specific and interesting perspective.

As someone who has grown up in a church that is big on mission work and has gone to on a few trips myself (including Haiti, twice) I found Irving's story very interesting. I truly enjoyed this read!

Couldn't finish, I got about one-third of the way in. I love memoirs, especially memoirs about time in countries other than America. The Gospel of Trees, though, was very history-heavy, and I found myself starting to skim over the history bits in search of what the author and/or her family did next.

The writing is good, the author makes great use of metaphor and narrates well. The prose is natural, like the author is simply having a fireside chat with friends or family. Overall, the book isn't bad, just blends genres a little too much and presents more history than memoir.

Such a lovely memoir! I am fascinated by island nations, and this was a fascinating and educational read.

This memoir of the author's time growing up as part of missionary life in Haiti was a little bit of a hard read for me. The prose is absolutely beautiful-you really get a sense for both the ambience of life in Haiti in that time (90's into 2000's) and the political upheaval as well. I'm not totally sure why it was such a hard read-I told a friend that it felt like the kale of memoirs. I think it's because Irving starts out the book by talking about how her father was violent towards the family in the midst of all the angst of trying to "save" Haiti but it seemed like it evolved into more of a story where she points out guiltily over and over again how everything that they did was wrong for the country. I understand her points, I just felt like the reader kept getting hid over the head with them. It left me with a lot of questions about how missionaries could really help the areas that they travel to but no real answers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

This was a hard read for me because I don't believe in the practice of missionary work; however, I wanted a close look into the mindset or belief system (outside of religion) that compels individuals to go "save" other people. I think the author did a beautiful job paying tribute to her father and sharing how she coped and navigated their complicated relationship, as well as the country of Haiti. It would have been nice to hear more about the relationships they had with actual Haitians and how they were impacted or affected by their presence.

Having lived a relatively comfortable life the author's family moved to Haiti as a missionary family to help. Her relationship with her father however is a troubled one. The author also dwells into how she adjusted to life in the US vs. life in Haiti.

The author is the oldest of 3 daughters living with her family in Haiti. Her parents are Christian missionaries seeking with all good intentions to help the impoverished in a country torn apart by corruption, violence, mismanagement and natural disasters. She lives a life about as far apart from an average American as is possible - the family has no indoor plumbing or anything of what most of us would consider essential.
The rigors of their life isn't difficult however- it's the strained family dynamics. Her father is a rigid and remote man who cares much more for his horticultural projects (his trees) than he does for interacting with his family or demonstrating love for them. The author devotes a lot of the book on her struggles with this relationship. I don't want to give the impression however that this is dour or depressing book. I found it quite interesting and insightful, especially as she gains insight and more understanding as she matures and has her own family.
The setting of Haiti is also engrossing. I knew very little of Haiti before and feel a little better informed after reading this. Recommended. The only reason I'm not giving a full 5 star rating is because I would have liked further insight into the psychology of her father (and her mother as well.)

A missionary family moves to Haiti spending several years off and on, much to the dismay of their daughters. Apricot, the oldest daughter, has a troubled relationship with her father who seems to care more about Haiti, its trees, and people, rather than her family. Only as she marries and has her own children does she begin to understand her father, and realize she is like him in many ways.

I especially enjoyed learning about what life was like in Haiti for this missionary family and how they acclimated back to the U.S. after so many years abroad. An interesting life told with honesty and emotion.