Island Songs A beautiful evocation of twentieth century Jamaica its history and traditions and equivocal status as an overlooked outpost of the dwindling British Empire Island Songs is an epic of love diaspora
Title: Island Songs
Author: Alex Wheatle
ISBN: 9780749082437
Page: 206
Format: Paperback
A beautiful evocation of twentieth century Jamaica, its history and traditions, and equivocal status as an overlooked outpost of the dwindling British Empire, Island Songs is an epic of love, diaspora, and sorely tested family loyalties Many stories are told, but many secrets are never revealed She wondered what kind of world she had brought her two daughters intoA beautiful evocation of twentieth century Jamaica, its history and traditions, and equivocal status as an overlooked outpost of the dwindling British Empire, Island Songs is an epic of love, diaspora, and sorely tested family loyalties Many stories are told, but many secrets are never revealed She wondered what kind of world she had brought her two daughters into the tedious cycle of rural Jamaican life No chance for them to set off upon adventures and see the outside world But sisters Jenny and Hortense Rodney, descendents of the fierce Maroon people, do get to see the world, and Island Songs is their story Growing up in rural Claremont, working amid the hustle and bustle, lawn parties and houses of joy in Trenchtown, the two sisters take a chance and move to England with their husbands, that far off land of riches, where they settle down to motherhood amongst the jazz cafes and bleak streets of Brixton Fire nettle Hortense and her husband Cilbert dream of finding prosperity through hard work in England, and eventually being able to return to Jamaica a wealthy family Whilst Jenny, tied by the strong and complex bonds of sisterhood, follows Hortense in her travels and brings with her Jacob, her husband, who establishes the first black church in south London.
Free Read [History Book] ☆ Island Songs - by Alex Wheatle ↠
Alex Wheatle206Alex Wheatle
Title: Free Read [History Book] ☆ Island Songs - by Alex Wheatle ↠
Posted by:Alex Wheatle
Published :2019-03-19T16:14:49+00:00
Published by Alex Wheatle
One of the most exciting writers of the black urban experience The TimesAlex Alphonso Wheatle MBE 3 January 1963 is an award winning black British novelist of Jamaican heritage and has been described as one of the UK s most exciting writers.Wheatle spent much of his childhood in a Surrey children s home At sixteen he was a founder member of the Crucial Rocker sound system and his DJ name was Yardman Irie He wrote lyrics about his observations of everyday Brixton life By 1980 Wheatle was residing in a social services hostel in Brixton, South London He witnessed and lived through the 1981 Brixton riots, its precursors and aftermath Wheatle was briefly incarcerated following the Brixton riots While serving his sentence he read authors like Chester Himes, Richard Wright, C L R James and John Steinbeck He once built speaker boxes for local sound systems to help him through unemployment.He has since been called upon to talk on the subject of the Brixton riots, most prominently in the 2006 BBC programme Battle for Brixton His early books are based on experiences from his life living in Brixton as a teenager and his time in social services care.Wheatle was awarded London Arts Board New Writers Award for East of Acre Lane.In 2008, Wheatle was awarded the MBE for services to literature in the Queen s Birthday Honours list.He now visits schools, colleges, universities, libraries and prisons facilitating creative writing classes and performing inspiring speeches He has also narrated an audio guide to the streets of Brixton for soundmap.He is a member of English PEN.Wheatle s debut novel, Brixton Rock, was adapted for the stage and performed at the Young Vic in July 2010.He wrote and performed UPRISING, a one man play based on his own life at TARA ARTS STUDIOS, Wandsworth, London.Wheatle lives in London.
One Reply to “Island Songs”
I really enjoyed this book! Although I read it quite a while ago (approximately nine years now!) I still remember how entertaining it was to read and how I couldn't stop turning the pages. Wheatle is a very witty (and talented) writer and his use of dialogue and portrayal of characters are second to none.I particularly liked the themes of jealousy and unrequited love in this story; the relationships between Jenny and Hortense (and their men) although tumultuous, were exciting to follow and not o [...]
This is a wonderful story. It was well written and I believe that Alex Wheatle did a great job of portraying Jamaican lifestyle, culture, and landscape. I definitely recommend this novel to all. The first time I read it, I was so hooked on the story that I could hardly put it down.
I want to give this book three and a half stars or three point seven five stars, but that's not an option. Three is unfair, so I'll just round it up.Alex Wheatle did an incredible job of taking us back to sights, sounds, and smells of the Jamaica of the forties and fifties. I could almost hear the mento and early ska as I read. I loved the rendering of the Duke Reid soundsystem.But, by far, the best thing that Wheatle did was show the richness and vibrance of Jamaican patois. It's a language tha [...]
Island Songs contains some of the most evocative descriptions of early 20th century Jamaica along with honest portrayals of Jamaicans reactions to living in Britain. A must read.
I really enjoyed this book! Although I read it quite a while ago (approximately nine years now!) I still remember how entertaining it was to read and how I couldn't stop turning the pages. Wheatle is a very witty (and talented) writer and his use of dialogue and portrayal of characters are second to none.I particularly liked the themes of jealousy and unrequited love in this story; the relationships between Jenny and Hortense (and their men) although tumultuous, were exciting to follow and not o [...]
This is a wonderful story. It was well written and I believe that Alex Wheatle did a great job of portraying Jamaican lifestyle, culture, and landscape. I definitely recommend this novel to all. The first time I read it, I was so hooked on the story that I could hardly put it down.
I want to give this book three and a half stars or three point seven five stars, but that's not an option. Three is unfair, so I'll just round it up.Alex Wheatle did an incredible job of taking us back to sights, sounds, and smells of the Jamaica of the forties and fifties. I could almost hear the mento and early ska as I read. I loved the rendering of the Duke Reid soundsystem.But, by far, the best thing that Wheatle did was show the richness and vibrance of Jamaican patois. It's a language tha [...]
Island Songs contains some of the most evocative descriptions of early 20th century Jamaica along with honest portrayals of Jamaicans reactions to living in Britain. A must read.