My Mother And I: The Epic Story of Grenada

by Kamau McBarnette

This extraordinary book is at one and the same time a work of literature and of history. It is told with poetic flair, in language which brings vividly to life the environment and culture of the first Grenadians, the Caribs and Arawaks, the wars of conquest and occupation of these Grenadians, and their final stand against the French at Leapers’ Hill in Sauteurs. The horrors of slavery, and the several wars between the British and the French for ownership of Grenada are compellingly captured. The anti-British, anti-slavery rebellion of 1795-1796, led by Julien Fedon, is narrated in nail-biting style, as are the Grenada ex-Servicemen’s riot of 1920, and the Eric Gairy-led 1951 Revolution. The1973-1974 anti-Gairy mass uprising, the 1979-1983 Grenada Revolution, and the crisis, tragedy and US military invasion, all in October 1983, are dramatically narrated. The author finds intriguing ways to explore the continuity, and essential unity, of all these many conflicts and struggles of its many different peoples over the four centuries of Post-Columbian history. This docu-novel grabs you from the opening chapters, and compels you to keep reading to its very end. You can see the mountains and valleys, the trees and grass, the bays and sunsets as they are described, and feel the sea breezes on your face that McBarnette paints with arresting imagery. Likewise, you picture the chief protagonists whom he portrays in each major dramatic phase of Grenada’s turbulent history. This is a work which will bring sheer enjoyment to adults and students alike, even as it educates and inspires.

342 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2014

Reviews

[Sportyrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history of Grenada told from the perspective of a hospital and prison. Yep. “My Mother” is Grenada (I think, even though I finished the book). Her kids are all her structures and living things. Each building took on human processes such as giving birth, shedding blood, sweat and tears.

At first I found the style of writing original and refreshing. Descriptions were so colourful and in some cases vulgar. But after a while, the writing became a stringed necklace of beautifully written sentences. It was admirable but also hard to grab on to. The story was historical in natural so there was a chronological flow of events which were interesting, highly detailed and presumably well-researched.

Did I enjoy reading it? Yes.
Was it easy? No. It took a fair bit of concentration.
Did I learn a lot about Grenada? Yes. But maybe not in a way that I will remember in years to come as the writing style blurred things.

I quickly looked the author up before posting this review. I did not realise the author’s historical importance: he was one of the falsely imprisoned people for the assassination of the prime minister. 25 years in prison. Such a clever way to tell the story using the prison as the narrator. Quite impressive.