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by Anthony Alleyne (Author)
Surrounded By Water: Island Stories... Life on Three Islands is the personal memoir of Anthony 'Tony' Alleyne, a United States Navy veteran whose life has been shaped by oceans, service, and family across three very different island communities.
From the streets of Harlem on Manhattan's island to the quiet shores of Martha's Vineyard and the distant beauty of Maui, Alleyne traces a life defined by movement, resilience, and reflection. Enlisting at seventeen during the Vietnam War, he served for twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, experiencing historic moments and conflict zones around the world, many of which he documented through his camera lens.
Beyond military service, Surrounded By Water explores deeper themes of identity, responsibility, and belonging. Anchored by his mother's strength, transformed by the birth of his daughter, and shaped by forging a path as a Black man in unfamiliar places, Alleyne's story reveals a life guided by purpose and perseverance.
Now retired on the island of Maui, he reflects on three islands and a lifetime of tides. Surrounded By Water is a thoughtful memoir about identity, home, and the waters that carry us from one chapter of life to the next.
