musing, ramblings, thoughts, inspirations – things that impress me enough to make them a part of this commentary
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Andrene Bonner is my friend, she is also an author. Her latest offering, Olympic Gardens is a little gem of a book. The protagonist, Roderick is a lesson in resilience and triumph over adversity. The book touches on so many different issues, poverty, displacement, illegitimacy, literacy and education; and above all the indefatigable spirit of a child to look for and (in Roderick’s case) to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
This book should be mandatory reading for every child, not just Jamaican children, but every child – to show that the spirit and will to survive adversity is not an impossibility. The book is delightful for its technique of capturing a time and place in Jamaica when people were more innocent, optimistic about the life that lay ahead after a newly independent Jamaica set out to map it’s own course in history. A time when the music was positive, uplifting and spoke to all Jamaicans. A time when, a poor boy sent away because his very presence was a reproach to his mother, was able to find a fairy godmother and good friends to alleviate his pain and suffering.
This book is one that you MUST buy, if you are a parent, read it with your children, if you are of a certain age, read it and remember how you used to live, if you are a teen, tween or inbetween, read it for inspiration
Labels: childhood, education, ghetto, illigitimacy, Jamaica, Toots And The Maytals
