Minorcan Boy

(Paperback)

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Description

Minorcan Boy was selected for the Gold Award as the best historical novel in the 2023 Florida Writers Association competition.
Danny Andreu is a high school kid growing up in St. Augustine while his community grapples with issues of racial inequality. As the story unfolds, Danny, a descendant of Minorcan immigrants, recalls that memorable summer of 1964 and the events that helped to shape him as a young man during a period when his community was consumed by racial violence.
Over seven eventful weeks, while trying to live with an abusive stepfather, Danny attempts to win the heart of an amazing young girl, find a summer job, and learn how to catch sheepshead, "the most difficult fish to catch that God ever created!"
As the summer progresses, St. Augustine is increasingly torn as demonstrators hold marches, conduct sit-ins at restaurants, and stage wade-ins at local motel pools and beaches. These protests are met with stiff resistance from racist factions within the community, especially Danny's Uncle Ray, the man who has been like a father to him.
Throughout the summer, Danny struggles mightily to bridge the gap between black and white worlds. He is being pulled one way by his Uncle Ray and another by Fish Red, a local black fisherman, for whom Danny feels great affection and respect. Despite an ultimatum from his racist uncle, Danny makes an extremely difficult but significant choice about where he belongs in the civil rights struggle.

Reviews

The Minorcans--like the Cajuns of Louisiana or the Pennsylvania Dutch--are one of America's fascinating ethnic groups. The distinctive name of Pellicer is writ large in their history, from Francisco Pellicer, who led their exodus from New Smyrna to St. Augustine in 1777, to X. L. Pellicer, the leader of the 20th century Minorcan Renaissance, and now to Leonard Pellicer, who continues that Renaissance into the 21st century with his debut novel Minorcan Boy.
--David Nolan, St. Augustine historian

Author Bio

Leonard Pellicer was born and raised in St. Augustine, Florida, coming of age during the violent civil rights struggles that took place in the city during the period around the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Not having sufficient funding to attend college, he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve and served two years on active duty, spending time aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific region. After service, Leonard attended the University of Florida, then began a career in education as a teacher, principal, college professor, and finally Dean of the College of Education at the University of La Verne in California.