Light Beneath Ashes

First Runner-Up 2026 Eric Hoffer Book Awards Memoir Category "A poignant memoir that doubles as an effective primer on recent Haitian history." - Kirkus Reviews "A real achievement..." - President Barack Obama, in a personal letter to the author "Brilliant book. Highly recommended." - Readers' Favorite, 5-Star Review >Set in both Haiti and the United States, Light Beneath Ashes follows his journey from a childhood shaped by political instability to the difficult decision to leave for the US, and the complexities of adapting to a new world. Years later, with a doctorate in economics and a desire to contribute, he returns to Haiti-not as a tourist or savior, but as a son, researcher, and reluctant witness to the slow unraveling of a country he still calls home. Blending personal narratives, history, and introspection, Light Beneath Ashes is a deeply personal and emotionally honest account of belonging, return, and the fragile space between hope and disillusionment. It offers a rare insider-outsider lens on post-dictatorship Haiti, both intimate and politically aware. With the precision of a researcher and the heart of someone who never stopped looking back, the author examines the limits of change and what it means to engage with a homeland that both welcomes and resists you. This is not just a memoir-it is a mirror to the soul of a nation and to the hearts that keep it alive, even from afar.