Lafcadio Hearn 
Chita (Barnes & Noble Digital Library) 
A Memory of Last Island

This 1889 novel tells the story of a Creole girl who survives an extreme Louisiana hurricane.  Rescued by a fisherman and his wife, the girl remembers only her name:  Chita. The couple raises her as their own child.  Meanwhile, Chita’s true father believes his daughter is dead.  Years later, the two meet again . . . but under devastating circumstances.

About the author

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), also known as Koizumi Yakumo, was born in Greece, raised in Ireland, spent years in America, and finally became a citizen of Japan.  A journalist and translator, he played a major role in introducing Japanese culture to the West.  His translations of Japanese fairy tales and ghost stories were especially influential.