The Fallen Stones: Chasing Blue Butterflies, Mayan Secrets, and Happily Ever After in Belize
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-02-14 10:19:52
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Diana Marcum
- ISBN：1542022851
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Summary
A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of the national bestseller The Tenth Island finds hope and personal metamorphosis on a butterfly farm in the Maya Mountains。
Atop a hill in the rainforest of Belize， next to the ruins of a fallen civilization， a butterfly farm raises the brilliant blue morpho。
What starts out as the worst vacation ever turns into a quest to learn more about the first-of-its-kind farm when journalist Diana Marcum inadvertently discovers this wildlife sanctuary， which is supported by an international live-butterfly trade。
She quickly becomes acquainted with Clive， the whimsical British millionaire whose childhood passion created an industry， and Sebastian， the Maya farm manager whose stern expression belies a soft heart。 Before long Diana and her partner， Jack Moody—new to being a couple—have moved into a long-empty jungle house， cohabitating with bats， scorpions， toucans， iguanas， and the vulnerable but resilient butterflies。 She comes to be obsessed with the array of iridescent creatures。
Just ahead， although they don’t know it， are a hurricane and a global pandemic。
This warm， funny tale of finding a way forward when the world seems to be falling apart is filled with the beauty of the natural world and a heartfelt cry to protect it—beginning with butterflies。
Atop a hill in the rainforest of Belize， next to the ruins of a fallen civilization， a butterfly farm raises the brilliant blue morpho。
What starts out as the worst vacation ever turns into a quest to learn more about the first-of-its-kind farm when journalist Diana Marcum inadvertently discovers this wildlife sanctuary， which is supported by an international live-butterfly trade。
She quickly becomes acquainted with Clive， the whimsical British millionaire whose childhood passion created an industry， and Sebastian， the Maya farm manager whose stern expression belies a soft heart。 Before long Diana and her partner， Jack Moody—new to being a couple—have moved into a long-empty jungle house， cohabitating with bats， scorpions， toucans， iguanas， and the vulnerable but resilient butterflies。 She comes to be obsessed with the array of iridescent creatures。
Just ahead， although they don’t know it， are a hurricane and a global pandemic。
This warm， funny tale of finding a way forward when the world seems to be falling apart is filled with the beauty of the natural world and a heartfelt cry to protect it—beginning with butterflies。
Reviews
Melinda Harrill
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Taking time now in life to watch and appreciate nature， this book confirmed that I am not alone in the wonder found there。 As I plant more and more native plants， I hope to help the lives of butterflies， bees， birds， and all creatures。 Hopefully more people will read and learn and connect with the natural world and do their part to help it survive and thrive。 This book should help to inspire！
Brenda
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Timely and refreshing I enjoyed reading this book so much！ I found it very timely。 And so refreshing to read a story about something so important to our world。 I enjoyed getting a mini education about butterflies。 Thank you for sharing your experience with us。
merrill kloter
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Delightful， meaningful， a must readA thoughtful observation of people， cultures， growing friendships， nature， curiosity， wonder and life。 Absolutely what pleasure reading should be 。。。 Enjoy！
Sharron Grodzinsky
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Beautiful Blue This exquisitely written， funny， down-to-earth and informative book was a breath of fresh air。 Landing in Belize with her boyfriend， the author teaches us about beautiful butterflies all the while telling her story of living in a jungle and climate that would make most of us run for the first flight out。 Falling Stones is a lovely story you won’t forget。
K。 Lee
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Great read！This was a very interesting book。 Especially since I too have lived in Belize so it was great to read about her experiences there。
Karen Riddle
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Great readWhat a great experience - living in Belize on a Butterfly Farm。 Through this book I felt I was there with the author。 She doesn't glamourize it， but still leads you in。 Great readWhat a great experience - living in Belize on a Butterfly Farm。 Through this book I felt I was there with the author。 She doesn't glamourize it， but still leads you in。 。。。more
Richard Propes
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Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Diana Marcum adds her trademark emotional and academic intelligence to her latest book "The Fallen Stones: Chasing Blue Butterflies， Mayan Secrets， and Happily Ever After in Belize，" an upcoming Little A release and part of Amazon's First Reads program for February 2022。 Marcum， who won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for narrative portraits of farm workers， farmers， and others in California's drought-stricken Central Valley as a writer for the LA Times， immerses us in Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Diana Marcum adds her trademark emotional and academic intelligence to her latest book "The Fallen Stones: Chasing Blue Butterflies， Mayan Secrets， and Happily Ever After in Belize，" an upcoming Little A release and part of Amazon's First Reads program for February 2022。 Marcum， who won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for narrative portraits of farm workers， farmers， and others in California's drought-stricken Central Valley as a writer for the LA Times， immerses us in her world as she plops herself inside the worst vacation ever in Belize alongside her relatively new partner at the time， Jack Moody， whom she affectionately refers to throughout "The Fallen Stones" as simply Moody。 It's that affection that radiates throughout "The Fallen Stones，" an affection for adventure， for life， for butterflies， for leaping into the uncertain， and for Moody。 What starts out as the worst vacation ever becomes something rather grand as Marcum submits herself to this butterfly farm in the Maya Mountains where the brilliant blue morpho is being raised by the likes of Sebastian， a farm manager with a stern look but warm heart， and Clive， a British millionaire whose seemingly simple childhood passion has created an industry。 While this may all sound romanticized， this hilltop rainforest locale possesses all the glory and dangers of an Indiana Jones tale with bats， scorpions， toucans， iguanas， and these marvelous， resilient butterflies。 It is in this unexpected locale that Marcum does discover something resembling a "happily ever after，" a different way of life that in some way equips her once she returns to the rather jarring world where a pandemic awaits alongside political uncertainty and even a hurricane。 This farm， somehow， always seems to survive its challenges partly owing to luck and partly owing to the resilience of the human spirits who maintain it。 "The Fallen Stones" is a book that will make you laugh and cry and imagine in equal amounts。 It's a book that feels both remarkably precise and fantastic。 "The Fallen Stones" feels incredibly intimate yet enveloping and universal。 I will confess that I struggled a bit as the book began to wind down and Marcum returns to a daily life that feels strange now， perhaps this being my own issue as daily life involves such a tonal shift from life for Marcum and Moody in this enchanted but very real rainforest。 While this tonal shift feels jarring and uneven， perhaps this is a necessity。 As Marcum returns to the world and moves away from The Fallen Stones， she has， seemingly irrevocably， become much more one with a universe that she feels now inclined to protect while also moving into a world that she is reminded needs protecting whether that be because of a rampant virus or unhealthy politics or natural disaster。 That shift from intimate to universal feels jarring because it is jarring， a reminder that we are truly one with another but rather than that being some romanticized ideal it is a call to being responsible for one another and all living creatures。 "The Fallen Stones" is an unexpected delight， a book of fantasy and whimsy alongside rich humanity and wondrous heart。 "The Fallen Stones" enfolds us in its wonder then gently teaches us that we can truly live this way， perfect in its imperfection。 Simultaneously funny and heartfelt， in "The Fallen Stones" Marcum celebrates the wonder of this amazing world that we live in and the people who are giving their lives to honor it in ways big and small discovering hope， connection， and a deepened personal responsibility along the way。 。。。more
Scribal
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This book pulled me out of a bleak， cynical， world-weary， February depression。
Meg Dunk
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I love this surprisingly delightful win from a Goodreads giveaway！ Yes， it is about butterflies and Belize and so much more。。。love and life， respect and relationships， awe and wonder。。。and about hope。It is engaging and humorous。。。and may even prompt you to plant a butterfly garden。
Tina
，
This was pretty good。 Maybe a 3。5？ It meandered a bit - much like the butterflies about which she was discussing。 It felt a little light， but I suspect it isn't the book she was hoping to write because of the pandemic。 Still， I learned some stuff and got a sense of her time in Belize and the importance of butterflies。 I'm glad I read it。 This was pretty good。 Maybe a 3。5？ It meandered a bit - much like the butterflies about which she was discussing。 It felt a little light， but I suspect it isn't the book she was hoping to write because of the pandemic。 Still， I learned some stuff and got a sense of her time in Belize and the importance of butterflies。 I'm glad I read it。 。。。more
Sheila Fishman
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interesting and informative Very good read。 I recommend to all who love this earth。 Once your done reading， recommend it to other readers。
Marion Sheppard
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4。5。 A delightful and interesting read about a journalist ‘s and her boyfriend’s discovery of and love for butterflies in Belize。 It is a well crafted book with witty， intelligent writing， a strong storyline， and a dash of humanity。 I enjoyed reading about the Mayan culture and the evolution of raising butterflies， how to survive in a jungle environment， and finding hope beyond the pandemic。 Finding a book that both entertains and informs is always a winning combination。 Highly recommend this bo 4。5。 A delightful and interesting read about a journalist ‘s and her boyfriend’s discovery of and love for butterflies in Belize。 It is a well crafted book with witty， intelligent writing， a strong storyline， and a dash of humanity。 I enjoyed reading about the Mayan culture and the evolution of raising butterflies， how to survive in a jungle environment， and finding hope beyond the pandemic。 Finding a book that both entertains and informs is always a winning combination。 Highly recommend this book。 。。。more
M M
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WOW！When I wrote a review about The Tenth Island， I stated I couldn’t wait to read more by this author。 Her second book did not disappoint。 Her descriptions are easily visualized and the ending brought everything into perspective。 The fact that shipping butterflies became difficult may explain why our local museum no longer has a butterfly exhibit。 The people she encounters in Belize are very well drawn。 The story is unique and true。 Thank you， Ms。 Marcum。
Suzanne Jung
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HopeSometimes you search for something， with deliberation， and sometimes it falls in your lap。 This woman’s words， book， attitude enveloped me in hope。 A hope that bad things pass， and often the bad that does come， morphs very sneakily into something good， a mind boggling thought。 You， Deed， can boggle my mind anytime you want。 How about the rest of you out there？ Come on， jump right on Boggle Train！
Linda
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ExcellentI almost never read memoirs all the way they but I had trouble putting this one down。 Some fascinating details about butterflies and other critters in Belize。
Mary
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How did I find this book？ Maybe an offer from Early Book for my Kindle app。 It was a lovely read about unlikely subjects for me--butterflies and Belize。 The story goes right up to this year's fires in California and the Covid epidemic。 A quote: "Maybe hope is something you find along the way when you just keep going。" （from Sebastian， one of the wonderful workers at the butterfly farm） How did I find this book？ Maybe an offer from Early Book for my Kindle app。 It was a lovely read about unlikely subjects for me--butterflies and Belize。 The story goes right up to this year's fires in California and the Covid epidemic。 A quote: "Maybe hope is something you find along the way when you just keep going。" （from Sebastian， one of the wonderful workers at the butterfly farm） 。。。more
Erin
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Not my usual fare， but an unexpectedly lovely change of pace。 Full of humor， moving stories of humanity and resilience， and our connectivity to nature， the world， and each other through the microcosm of a Butterfly Farm。 Highly recommend to those who are seeking a bit of wonder these days。
Janice Clark
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This is a wonderful true-life adventure， replete with moments of joy and many disasters， not to mention such irritations as hordes of bloodthirsty mosquitoes。 Marcum is a skilled journalist， ferreting out all sorts of interesting side stories and writing it all in a clear， compelling fashion。 I'm sure the butterflies were glorious， but I was just as happy to be an arm-chair traveler with none of the inconveniences。 This is a wonderful true-life adventure， replete with moments of joy and many disasters， not to mention such irritations as hordes of bloodthirsty mosquitoes。 Marcum is a skilled journalist， ferreting out all sorts of interesting side stories and writing it all in a clear， compelling fashion。 I'm sure the butterflies were glorious， but I was just as happy to be an arm-chair traveler with none of the inconveniences。 。。。more
Francine Meadows
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Thinking about butterflies！Her writing paints a picture of so many beautiful butterflies in parts of the world I've never been！ It was a fun read too！ Thinking about butterflies！Her writing paints a picture of so many beautiful butterflies in parts of the world I've never been！ It was a fun read too！ 。。。more
John Dawson
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Good read for those who are into nature。I am Master Gardeners and we maintain a butterfly garden in Manatee County， Florida。 We have a different group of native butterflies， but the principle of attracting and care is the same。 Having visited Belize， I can relate to the descriptions of the landscapes depicted in the book。
maggie thompson
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Very good， couldn't put it down。 I want to go to Belize now Very good， couldn't put it down。 I want to go to Belize now 。。。more
Roger A
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Amazing， FASCINATING Story and not only that but I learned so much！I completely enjoyed reading and learning about the Butterfly farm and it's workers in Belize。 So much so I'm ready to pack my bags and go！ I don't want to say too much to give away parts of the story but it is true， fascinating， the people who operate and work the Butterfly farm put their hearts and very souls into it。 I am now preparing to plant my very own Butterfly Garden！Thank you Diana Marcum （Author） & Janet Sluis （Horticu Amazing， FASCINATING Story and not only that but I learned so much！I completely enjoyed reading and learning about the Butterfly farm and it's workers in Belize。 So much so I'm ready to pack my bags and go！ I don't want to say too much to give away parts of the story but it is true， fascinating， the people who operate and work the Butterfly farm put their hearts and very souls into it。 I am now preparing to plant my very own Butterfly Garden！Thank you Diana Marcum （Author） & Janet Sluis （Horticulturist） for reminding me of the importance and beauty of these delicate creatures and the circle of life。I ABSOLUTELY recommend reading and sharing this book as well as planting a 🦋 butterfly garden of your own！ 🌼🌺 。。。more
Deb McClintock
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InspiringI need to get my native plant list ready for spring。 This book inspires me to keep our school garden growing and thriving for more young minds to be filled with wonder！
KG
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Thumbs Up for My First Amazon First ReadI picked this book as my February First Read selection and I don't believe I could have made a better choice。 It was a nice break from the heavier non-fiction and science books that I tend to lean towards。 I really enjoyed the author's descriptions and humor。 It brought to mind some of Bill Bryson's travel books with an added emphasis on butterflies and the live butterfly business， which I've never really thought about。 Overall， an enjoyable read and a suc Thumbs Up for My First Amazon First ReadI picked this book as my February First Read selection and I don't believe I could have made a better choice。 It was a nice break from the heavier non-fiction and science books that I tend to lean towards。 I really enjoyed the author's descriptions and humor。 It brought to mind some of Bill Bryson's travel books with an added emphasis on butterflies and the live butterfly business， which I've never really thought about。 Overall， an enjoyable read and a success for Amazon's First Read program。 I'll be buying a copy of this book for my mom。 。。。more
Bonnye Reed
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AmazonPrimeFirstReads Pub date March 1， 2022Publisher Little a
Susan
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Amazon First Reads - February 2022
Blanca E。 Hernandez
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Interesting。 I have to agree that is a very interesting book but not my favorite。 Very detailed beautiful settings wish I was there。
SaltwaterStier
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