The Dominica Story: A History of the Island

by Lennox Honychurch

This text traces the origin and development of this island from its volcanic formation to 1994. The author interweaves the island's history with geography, ecology, folklore and social custom to inform the reader about both Dominica and Caribbean history as a whole.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 1995

Reviews

[Rebecca Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a history buff in any way, and in fact, aside from a few niche facets of history, I find myself loathing the subject more than anything. (I originally began reading this as a way to learn more about my partner's home country). That being said, I did read this book from cover to cover--chapter by chapter of course--and I do feel I learned a lot despite my initial resistance. There is an obvious love for this small island written on these pages, peppered with bits of humor and wit along the way that make it an enjoyable read for even a non-history buff like me. I wouldn't describe this as a quick read personally, but probably would be if you are an avid student of history.

[Roy Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on the history of Dominica

[Ruane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have I encountered another book as in depth on the history of Dominica.

[Monica Delehanty · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are few histories of Dominica so not many choices. Honeychurch is a researcher and includes all his facts but is not a storyteller and it gets dry.

[Kenefa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed but towards the end it’s mainly just about politics. Also possibly a little bias but understandably so.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a very interesting history of a Caribbean island most people in the U.S. may not know much about. It's written by a native Dominican, Lennox Honychurch, who has himself participated in some of the events of his country in the last 30-40 years, particularly in the country's politics. And, despite that, he does a remarkable job of keeping the whole narrative very objective, even when a tragic portion of that history involves his own family. I also found the history of Britain and France fighting over the island between the 7 Years War and the Napoleonic Wars very exciting as well. Also, Mr. Honychurch mixes in enough ethnography and social observation to give anyone an idea of the general character of the people, even if they have never visited the island. However, I do have one or two critiques. First, about two-thirds of the way through the book, Mr. Honychurch switches from a purely chronological structure to a purely thematic structure then switches back within the last 30-40 pages. Not that I can think of a better way to do it, considering some of the things he had to cover, but it is a little jarring to have that kind of a structural switch. And second, while I applaud Mr. Honeychurch's overall objectivity, there were a few occasions where his own views seemed to sneak in, especially in political events that he must have been able to observe. Overall, a fine history of the island that would be good for research material if someone was doing a historical case study of the Eastern Caribbean.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this island does exist, with a story beyond just my imagination.

[Giftus John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative....a reflection and description of life in island from the days of slavery to this modern era. Well written.