It took awhile for me to get into reading this very robust book but I am really happy I did. It is true what th This is what I call required reading!
It took awhile for me to get into reading this very robust book but I am really happy I did. It is true what they say, this book is very dense and a lot of things may go over your head so I recommend taking at least a month or two to read it so everything can sink in.
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa is what I call required reading because it shows us how colonialism continues to impact a lot of Africa to this day. We see how a lot of the practices and things done to countries in Africa impacted the people, culture and changed the course of their history. We also see how Europe continues to benefit from colonialism to this day.
I loved how Rodney unequivocally shut down the argument about “there were some benefits to colonialism” or “the continent did benefit from Europe”. We hear this off handed remarks a lot and I enjoyed the research that went behind showcasing how wrong that is.
In a world where we are told to forget the pass and move on, this book shows us how there are institutions in place that makes it hard. I highly recommend reading this....more
Christina Sharpe makes the ordinary feels extraordinary
I don’t think there are words I can use to accurately describe what is like reading this boo Christina Sharpe makes the ordinary feels extraordinary
I don’t think there are words I can use to accurately describe what is like reading this book. It is a collection of “ordinary notes” but it is more than that. It is an exploration of what it is like having a Black experience, moving through the world and the author losing their mom. A lot is explored in this book, and it is done in a powerful way. I am not lying when I say, I think I underline the entire book because so much of these notes struck a chord and I felt seen in so many ways.
I recommend reading this slow, taking your time to fully engage with what the author is showing you, leave the book and come back to it.
This is my first book by Sharpe and now I must read her entire cannon. ...more
After watching the Bob Marley: One Love movie, I wanted more and I decided to give this memoir a read and I am really happy What an inspiring memoir!
After watching the Bob Marley: One Love movie, I wanted more and I decided to give this memoir a read and I am really happy I did. We hear so much about the Legend, but I wanted to read about the man that he was and I think his wife Mrs Rita did an exceptional job of not only telling her story, but walking us through her life with him.
If you are a fan of Bob Marley, I encourage you to read this book to get some depth to who he was and what it was like being married to him.
I am one of those persons who visibly cringe when I hear Africa being referred to as one thing, when it is so muThis is what I call required reading.
I am one of those persons who visibly cringe when I hear Africa being referred to as one thing, when it is so much more than that. I started reading this book during my 70 tour of the African continent and the insights that I got from that book made the experience even better.
This book is truly a great way to get a more layered look at the continent- it’s history, the culture and how colonialism impacted the continent to this day. There is so much history, truth and insights is packed into this book. I was reading this book and nodding the entire time because there are so many things I do not know.
A brilliant memoir that highlights Alexis’s life and the life of some Vincentians who left the island willingly and unwillingly to go to the UK. A gr A brilliant memoir that highlights Alexis’s life and the life of some Vincentians who left the island willingly and unwillingly to go to the UK. A great read for anyone who loves history and memoirs
Alexis Keir goes deep in his exploration of where home is and what we are rooted to. He tells us the story of his family, how they left St. Vincent and the Grenadines for a better life. So did a lot of Vincentians who ended up in the UK. He explored how and why they left and under what circumstances they decided to stay. The book is set in St. Vincent, USA, UK and New Zealand, as the author tries to find his place in the world.
I think what I enjoyed a lot about this book is how personal it was but also very much intertwined with history. I generally don’t read a lot of memoirs from St. Vincent and I loved how much I learned. This is a great read for anyone who loves memoirs and history. ...more
An engaging story that you will want to know the ending!
What A Mother’s Love Don’t Teach You is Sharma Taylor’d debut novel that explores regret, moAn engaging story that you will want to know the ending!
What A Mother’s Love Don’t Teach You is Sharma Taylor’d debut novel that explores regret, motherhood, love, violence, and trust. We meet Dinah who gave away her baby to a couple she was working for. In giving up her son, the couple promised to write and keep her abreast of his progress, that did not happen. Over a decade later, Dinah is working for another couple and who shows up but her son and his adoptive parents- except her son does not know of her and the couple refuses to acknowledge. Dinah begins her first fight to have her son know her but in trying to know him, he falls into unlikely company that may have very disastrous effects.
If you’ve Kei Miller’s Augustown and appreciate how he tells a story then you will enjoy this. I really appreciated that the author told the story from many perspectives because it felt very engaging. I felt the story started very strong but really dragged in the middle. If I am being honest- the book never haffi suh long- a solid 150 pages could have been cut and this is where I ask my age old question, “where is the editor?” Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the storytelling I felt the author took too long to get to the climax and the ending felt a little rush. I did enjoy the historical look at Jamaica and I wanted more that that. Overall a solid debut- looking forward to what the author writes next. ...more
Ibram X Kendi and Keisha N. Blain did an amazing job if editing the history of African America for over four hundreTalk about a historical tome… WOW!
Ibram X Kendi and Keisha N. Blain did an amazing job if editing the history of African America for over four hundred years, with over 80 contributors in the form of poem, memoirs, bios and essays. If you are looking for an in-depth look into African American history, this is definitely the book to start with.
Topics covered include Black Lives Matter, The Great Migration, The Code Noir, Maroons and Maroonage, Black Power, Queer Sexuality, Racial Passing, The War on Drugs, Hurricane Katrina, Black Immigrants, Civil War, Anita Hill… just to name a few. This collection is solidly written and well researched. Every chapter offers information that forces you to learn and maybe unlearn the history you were taught.
I highly recommend this one. Here are some things I learned:
If Black people could prove their Christianity through baptism or marriage in the Christian church, as occurred in New Amsterdam, they might logically be exempted from slavery.
In 1655 Elizabeth Keye petitioned the courts for her freedom and that of her new child- and thus became the first woman of African descent to do so in the English North American colonies.
To this day, Black people remain the most Christian demographic in the country.
Royal African Company (RAC) is responsible for transporting more African people to the America than any other entity.
Germantown Quakers wrote the first petition against slavery every drafter by a religious group in the English colonies.
I loved how Christopher J. Lebron explored how English Quakers saw slavery vs how German Quakers viewed and lobbied for freedom.
Zora Neale Hurston was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to study folk religions of Jamaica and Haiti. It was while in Haiti that she wrote in just seven weeks Their Eyes Were Watching God,
I particularly loved reading Robert Jones Jr. essay on Denmark Vesey- he answered Mr. West’s statement on why enslaved people didn’t just “leave”. KMT. I also enjoyed the conclusion to this historic read where Blain explored whether we are really our ancestors’ wildest dreams.
To my mother, who should have a different life, I will do everything in my power to give you a different future. Finally, to my father- you'll never To my mother, who should have a different life, I will do everything in my power to give you a different future. Finally, to my father- you'll never know what it is like to carry your father's heart in yours when it has been so torn to shreds for your sake.
This book pulls at your heart for the entire read and doesnt let up. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio writes about The Undocumented Americans in New York City, Miami, Staten Island, Flint and New Haven. We get a real life look into what it is like living in American Undocumented, it means you have no insurance, freedom, access to health care and is constantly worrying about finances. It is a heart breaking read overall but very necessary and we should not look away. How Villavicencio humanizes everyone she writes about is something to behold. My heart broke for all of them BUT this is not trauma porn. There is a sense of hope, strength and power in these stories.
I particularly loved reading about how the author formed lasting friendships with the persons she interviewed. I loved reading about Leonel who claimed sanctuary in a church so he would not get deported. The author gave us a history lesson in Sanctuary and I was so happy to learn.
This for me is what I consider a necessary read and I hope a lot more persons take the time to read this book.
I leave you with the last words of this book..... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me ...more
A Memoir packed with insights and teachable moments from a live well lived.
Whenever I pick up a memoir I am always looking out for teachable moment A Memoir packed with insights and teachable moments from a live well lived.
Whenever I pick up a memoir I am always looking out for teachable moments. I am looking to learn from the life and the author’s mistake. James H. Lowry’s life is colourful, well lived and continues to impact those around him. In reading this book I think Lowry solidly drove the point home that while good education and key relationships are critical for success, “without wealth the road travelled can be more challenging” and aint that the whole truth.
I think as a society we sometime discount the fact that wealth and access to it plays a huge role in the projection of your life. Generational wealth sets up the next generation and having to start from scratch with not generational wealth is hard. In a Pew Research study it showed that between 1983-2015: White households net worth increased f 42% from $100,000 to $141,000 Hispanic household net worth increased 40% from $9,800 to $13,700 African American household net worth decreased 16% from $13,000 to $11,000 I had to re-read that, you should too.
Lowry spent most of his life assisting major corporations plan and execute diversity plans, ensuring Minorities are properly represented at different Fortune 500 Companies. Through his consultation company he’s lead his team in advising governments in African and Mayors in the US. I think one quote that stood out for me was Lowry saying:
“Too often, when we get people who truly want to solve the problems of the poor, they don’t understand or appreciate the US economic system or how to produce and transfer wealth. Often, attempts to address these highly complex problems grounded in historic realities have failed.”
This was such a profound read for me, because at the core of Lowry’s life, is him making a seat at the table for Minorities. I love that throughout the book the consistent message was him opening doors for others to come through. He mentioned “crab inna barrel mentality” and I feel we don’t talk about that enough but it is so real!
If you are looking for a memoir or a roadmap on how you can be a Change Agent or how you can open the door for others to come through, this is a great place to start. ...more
History is written by the victors, which means we should question the version of history that has been handed down to us
In Maria Hinojosa’s memoir History is written by the victors, which means we should question the version of history that has been handed down to us
In Maria Hinojosa’s memoir Once I Was You she is able to tell her story while forcing us to look at the history Mexicans have had with the US. I loved that throughout the memoir she constantly shines a light on the history of the US immigration policy and how deeply unfair it is. Did you know, “When the US won the Mexican-American War in 1948, Mexico was forced to cede nearly half of its territory- land that later made up California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming- for $15 million as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo” … yeah, I didn’t know this either. I do not need to tell you the austerities continues to this day with how ICE is treating persons who are undocumented.
To say this book is timely would be a lie because what Maria Hinojosa details in her book- as it concerns migration and the treatment of Migrants have been happening since the beginning of time. It is so important that people read books like these that forces us to look the awful history. I cannot say I have heard about Maria Hinojosa before getting this book, but in reading this blurb my interest was piqued. I love a rich memoir and that is exactly what you get with Once I Was You . Reading about the author’s journey from living in South Side Chicago to being on CNN was nothing short of inspiring. It is clear that she’s got a heart for her country -MEXICO and its people- MEXICANS and it was beautiful to see how she used her platform to create awareness and fight.
I loved how Maria Hinojosa brought us into her life, pulled back the curtains and showed us her deepest hurt, what motivates her and why she continues to fight. A truly beautiful memoir that I will continue to think about for years to come.
Thanks so much Atria Book for sending me this ARC, bless up! ...more
We don’t live in a meritocracy, and to pretend that simple hard work will elevate all to success is an exercise in wilful ignorance.
There are some b We don’t live in a meritocracy, and to pretend that simple hard work will elevate all to success is an exercise in wilful ignorance.
There are some books that are required reading and this is one of them. I took my time in getting to read this book but I am happy I finally did. Reni Eddo-Lodge does such a brilliant job of addressing the layered subject of racism- from classism, history, colourism, feminism and colonialism. The writing is sharp and poignant, it makes you question a lot of things.
I particularly like how well researched this book is and that I got a British look into racism. A lot of the history she speaks about in Britain heavily relates to Caribbean nationals so that was interesting to read about.
This book is required reading and everyone should read it and then re-read it, and then give it to your (white) friends to read ...more
As a young child, I spent long hours on the floor wedged between the strong legs of strangers, my head cradled in their lap. These early childhood me As a young child, I spent long hours on the floor wedged between the strong legs of strangers, my head cradled in their lap. These early childhood memories are vague in detail but strong in atmosphere.
Emma Dabiri left no stones unturned with regards to the history of Black Hair culture and how it continues to affect us today. It is clear she did her research and lived the experiences that she writes so knowledgeably about. I learned so much reading this book. While the grounding topic was hair, this lead to discussions around "wokeness" cultural appropriation, the Black Power movement along with dating. So much is covered in this book, and covered so well. An absolute must read!
I need to get my hands on a physical copy so I cam highlight every page! ...more
Jaquira Diaz’s memoir Ordinary Girls is beautifully written, strong, raw and deeply honest.
I really struggled to write a review for this book becauseJaquira Diaz’s memoir Ordinary Girls is beautifully written, strong, raw and deeply honest.
I really struggled to write a review for this book because it was so all encompassing and left me emotionally raw. I could not put into words how reading of Diaz’s life affected me and how upsetting to read the mother and daughter relationship.
Starting in Puerto Rico and moving to the US, Diaz’s walks us through her family dynamic which is filled with “things we don’t talk about”, trauma, abuse, mental illness and struggle. There are some moments in the book that really stood out to me, see below the quotes.
My Grandmother was the first person to ever call me nigger
Papi was never home. He’d brought us from Puerto Rico in search of a better life, had left behind his life as a hustler, his penthouse apartment, his cars and properties, to work two jobs. One at a factory and the other as a security guard.
We’re supposed to love our mothers. We’re supposed to trust them and need them and miss them when they’re gone. But what if that same person, the one who’s supposed to love you more than anyone else in the world, the one who’s supposed to protect you, is also the one who hurts you the most?
When I turned eighteen, I would cover the tattoo with rose. Almost a decade later, a friend who’d spent five years in lockup would tell me that in prison, a rose tattoo meant you’d spent a birthday behind bars.
Puerto Rico, seized, exploited, first by the Spanish colonizers, then by Americans who conferred citizenship to Puerto Ricans only so they could be drafted into military service during World War 1, but didn’t allow us the same voting right as other US Citizens
The Puerto Rican women sterilized by the American Government without their consent.
In her review Diaz said, This is who I write about and who I write for. For the girls who are angry and lost. For the girls who never saw themselves in books. For the ordinary girls. Please go read it.
Vera takes us on an unforgettable heart-wrenching journey that shines light on the human spirit
The Taste of Sugar is spans over seven decades, sta Vera takes us on an unforgettable heart-wrenching journey that shines light on the human spirit
The Taste of Sugar is spans over seven decades, starting in 1825 in Puerto Rico and finishing in 1902 in Hawaii, Marisel Vera takes us on an unforgettable journey. Opening in 1825 we are taken to a small coffee farm in Utuado that is owned by the Vega family. Raul Vega is a womanizer in every sense of the word, he has two sons by his wife and another by a local girl. Raul’s son’s Vicente follows his footsteps and become a coffee farmer. Vicente grew up on the farm and plans to spend his life growing in the coffee trade, despite being in debt and the fluctuating price of coffee and tax. Times are hard but Vicente believes if he works hard, things will get better and he will end up living comfortably off the land.
Meanwhile in the town of Ponce nineteen-year-old Valentina Sanchez dreams of marrying a handsome man and heading off to Paris to live a life of luxury. The Sanchez family is middle class, but still feels pinch at times, they are banking on Valentina marrying a 50-year-old widow. When Valentina’s upper-class friend sends her a wedding invitation, the Sanchez family pulls out all the stops to see to it that Valentina catches the eye of the rich suitor. Instead of a rich suitor, Valentina ends up in the grasp of a handsome coffee farmer.
While Vicente doesn’t promise Valentina a life of luxury, he does promise he will love and treat her kindly, come what may. Nothing could prepare this bright eyed coupled for what may. From the torturous journey from Pone to Utuado, to Valentina climatizing to farming life, to the farm being in severe debt, to Raul lusting and being inappropriate to Valentina, to the death of a child, to the great San Ciriaco hurricane that left the farm in shambles in 1899, to trying to rebuild but there is the upheaval with Puerto Rico moving from Spanish to US ownership… this couple will go through a lot. Even with all of that they still manage to stick with each other.
After the hurricane of 1899 Vicente proposed that they go to Hawaii to work on the sugar plantation. There is the offer of a new life, school for the children, higher pay in USD, a decent house and transportation to and from Puerto Rico, Vicente and Valentina jumps at the chance for a new life. They set out on their journey to Hawaii, nothing could prepare Valentina and Vicente for what is to come…
This book is a WORLD WIND! In the acknowledgements the author said she’s always been obsessed with learning about her heritage and “one day, stumbled upon the fact that over five thousand Puerto Ricans had gone to work on the sugar plantations of Hawaii after the US invasion and the San Ciriaco hurricane…” this led to her researching more and what led to her writing this book, which I am so happy she wrote.
I spent a weekend reading this book because I absolutely had to know what happens for Valentina and Vicente. There are so many positives in this book:
I loved learning more about Puerto Rico’s history. It is clear the author did her research and presented a solid look into life in Puerto Rico during the 1800s and early 1900s. I learned so much reading this book and if you are interested in Puerto Rican history, I strong suggest you pick this one up.
The writer was able to show how the human spirit can rise above a lot of depressing circumstances. Honestly at times I thought “lawd a massy, how much this couple gonna go through!!! Yah guh kill dem off Vera, ease dem up!” but I think that is what made the book so unforgettable. You were taken on a journey with these two people who promised to love and go through it all.
The author manages to cover a wide time period without it being a dense or boring read. I think the use of letters to move the plot along worked greatly. I loved reading the communication between Valentina and her sister which continued for the entire book. Kudos to Vera for doing this!
The character development in this book was exceptional- we meet Valentina as a young, shallow 19-year-old young girl and we are taken a journey where we are shown what made her into the very strong, unwavering, sexually secure woman she turns out to be. I really enjoyed how the author wrote Valentina’s character.
Overall, this was such a well written, strong, really insightful read that I want a lot more of you to read.
“If our country were ever given a chance and allowed to be a country like any other, none of us would live or die here.”
WOW…. !
I have to be honest,“If our country were ever given a chance and allowed to be a country like any other, none of us would live or die here.”
WOW…. !
I have to be honest, Edwidge Danticat’s writing is flawless. This is my first time reading something non-fiction written by Danticat and I was not disappointed. FLAWLESS!
In Danticat’s memoir/non-fiction release Brother, I’m Dying she tells the story of her father Andre and his brother Uncle Joseph who acted as her second father while her Mother and Father migrated to the US. Edwidge and her brother remained in the care of Uncle Joseph and his wife Denise while her parents went to the US for better opportunities and to one day file for Edwidge and her brother. During her time in Haiti Edwidge spoke to her parents on a daily basis but it was Uncle Joseph- a Pastor and School administrator who oversaw her childcare.
Edwidge walked us through life in Haiti during the 1970s to the 2000s- showing us the progression and changes in her family dynamics. We see where her parents visited Haiti and ends up filing and taking her and her brother to the US. How her Uncle Joseph lost his voice due to an illness and how hard it was for them to communicate. How her cousins’ lives changed for the good and the bad. We saw Danticat’s transition from life in Haiti to living in the US.
The book is told from the present day in 2004 where Edwidge is newly pregnant, but her father is dying and her uncle through a series of awful events ends up seeking alyssum in the US but was detained and thrown in a detention centre in Miami.
There are so many layers to unpack in this book, there is Danticat giving us a historical look into Haiti and what it was like growing up there. We also get insights into the political landscape of the country and how that shaped the society at the time. As someone who is deeply interested in Haiti this book really gave an insightful and rich look into the ordinary lives of Haitians.
The theme of father-daughter relationship was explored beautifully and in the most nuanced and raw way. I could not get enough of Danticat’s exploration of this theme. I also loved how she showed us what immigration is like for Haitian, from how limited their opportunities are and how differently they are treated to other nationals seeking asylum in the US- wow.
Overall a MUST read if you loved Danticat’s work and if you were interested in finding out more about Haiti....more
But there’s no future in these four walls four walls boxing me in boxing me in so I punch the air
The authors of Punching the Air Ibi Zoboi and Yu But there’s no future in these four walls four walls boxing me in boxing me in so I punch the air
The authors of Punching the Air Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam says this book is “the power of art, faith and transcendence un the most debilitating circumstances. It is out hope that all readers will experience the journey of a boy who finds himself in a heated moment where one wrong move threatens his future and how he uses art to express his truth, THE TRUTH.”
What a beautiful, heart-wrenching, infuriating but hopeful journey. The story is about a teenage Alam who went against his gut instinct ended up in a situation where he made one wrong move that changed the course of his entire life. While this is not the story about Yusef Salaam, a prison abolitionist and one of the Exonerated Five, it does draw on some things that he experienced when he was wrongfully imprisoned.
I was a bit worried when I saw that the entire book was told in verses because it can be either a hit or miss for me. I cannot begin to tell you how each of these verse punches you in the gut again and leave you feeling helpless about the injustice faced by Alaam and real-life imprisoned people. The writing was raw, layered, beautiful, honest, angering, hopeful, hopeless and so many other different emotions.
Whether we talk about Trinidad, Denmark, the United States- there is a constant unwillingness to examine history and to truly understand how we ended Whether we talk about Trinidad, Denmark, the United States- there is a constant unwillingness to examine history and to truly understand how we ended up here and how we could create a different path forward.
Lesley-Ann Brown writes that unlearning is a tenet of decoloniality which is why she wrote this book for her biracial son so that he can have the knowledge of who came before him and a narrative he can use to navigate his life.
Lesley-Ann Brown was born in Brooklyn, spent some of her formative years in Trinidad and Tobago and is currently living in Denmark. She is well traveled, a poet, activist, writer and also worked in publishing, Decolonial Daughter, Letters from a Black Woman to Her European Son is her debut non-fiction book. In this book she sets out to show how colonialism impacted her history, heritage, the world and how we are all still reeling from the effects.
This book is well written, well researched and deeply moving in certain areas when Brown talks about her childhood trauma, growing up with an abusive father, being sent to Trinidad for an incident she should have been protected from and the nuanced look into her prison visit to her brother. There are certain parts in this book that will leave you feeling heavy and like you cannot breathe because of a lot what Brown experiences I am sure will resonate with you.
A lot is covered in this book from Colonialism, Racism, Colourism, Classism, Religion, Abuse, Immigration, Microaggression, Depression, Mental Health, Motherhood, Systematic Racism, Generational Wealth, Policing of Women’s Bodies Privilege and Whiteness. Yes- I know, that is a mouth full but Brown was able to address these issued in a very nuanced and current way. She gives us information to help us learn more about our shared history, for us to better understand why we are still in 2020 having to “fight” racism.
Science says we carry within us the experience of fourteen generation so you can image why writing a book like this to her son will help in the unlearning process. I loved how Brown walked us through her family history, how she was met with opposition or silence when she asked about the past. I think a lot of people feel shame or some are not sure of their heritage but seeing someone go through and dig into her family’s history really empowered me to do the same. I could go on and on about this book but I know this was a deeply personal read for me and I implore you to give this a read and experience it for yourself.
I recommend this for anyone with children, or anyone looking to learn more about colonialism and it’s impact on the world today.
The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that the Resurrection is the very linchpin of the Christian faith: “If Christ has not been raised, your The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that the Resurrection is the very linchpin of the Christian faith: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
In The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Lee Strobel speaks with leaders in the field history, archaeology, pathology, divinity, theologians and other researchers for them give their take on whether Jesus actually walked this earth.
On Good Friday I watched a video and gave proof that Jesus existed outside of the Bible, since then I have been watching and reading different materials but this book gave an in-depth look and made a solid case that Jesus existed/exists. I get up in the Anglican church, I think I have been a half-hearted Christian all my life, I have seen and felt Jesus worked in my life so I knew in my heart he exists but my head... not so much. This is why I enjoyed this book so much, it tells us in no uncertain terms that was here, that my faith is not futile.
I liked how the book was structured, Strobel made it really easy to read. I particularly liked the historical look and context, because context is key and I cannot use my current knowledge to understand the Bible or the culture at the time Jesus was alive as a human.
After finishing this book I felt stronger in my faith and a stronger urge to walk a straighter path.
I learned a lot reading this book but what stood out for me was: Literally, excruciating means ‘out of the cross.’ Think of that: they needed to create a new word, because there was nothing in the language that could describe the intense anguish caused during the crucifixion. ...more
The West Indian Lawyer Keith Sobion is Justin Sobion’s debut memoir and autobiography about his father and the impact he had on his life and the Car The West Indian Lawyer Keith Sobion is Justin Sobion’s debut memoir and autobiography about his father and the impact he had on his life and the Caribbean. In West Indian Lawyer Sobion gives an overview of the very brief but impactful life of his father Keith Sobion. Keith was born in Trinidad and Tobago from very humble beginnings, through the hard work of his parents he was able to attend law school, he later practiced law, went into politics and became the first West Indian trained Principal of the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. You can see the impact he made with by advocating for the Caribbean Court of Justice, he was involved in the Black Power Revolution in Trinidad and was notoriously a part of the last execution that happened in Trinidad and Tobago. It is clear, that while Keith Sobion lived a very short life, he touched so many areas both locally (in Trinidad and Tobago) and regionally (throughout the Caribbean).
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, while this is a book written by a son about his father and there is all the adoration involved. I felt Justin Sobion did such an amazing job of giving the reader a historical look into Trinidad and Tobago’s political and cultural history- I learned SO MUCH! If you checked the copy of my book I have “what?!!” “Did this really happen?!”. I particularly loved reading about the 1990 coup that happened in Trinidad and Tobago- for the life of me I don’t know why we don’t have more books that talks about that coup.
This was the perfect non-fiction Caribbean read, and it was truly Caribbean because The West Indian Lawyer lived in Barbados and Jamaica, had friends all over the Caribbean and travelled widely throughout the Caribbean. I want to read more books like these, books that gives a rich look into our Caribbean history and features people who made a difference.
If you are looking for a non-fiction Caribbean read this is it. If you want a book that explores life in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1980s and the 90s, this is a perfect read!
Thanks so much Justin for this copy, I cannot begin to imagine the work and research that went into this. Please add this to your reading list! ...more
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