Kei Miller, "Augustown", "The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion", "The Last Warner Woman", "There Is An Anger That Moves" and more of his writing

[Sue]

I have just picked up the book from the library and hope to begin this weekend. I wasn't able to finish The Last Warner Woman earlier in the year but will restart and finish it later now with my own copy. Looking forward to Augustown. I'm glad for your review and the discussion which hopefully will help make up for my inability to read along with all the Jamaican books this year.

[Betty]

James wrote: "A story that takes place in two times: the present is April 11, 1982, in the Kingston neighborhood of Augustown; the past, presented as a story (merging into a ..."

James, I appreciate your indicating the double time frame here as well as your giving Bedward an historical basis. As in previous works, Miller uses opposition (here, Babylon and Rastafarian, for example). Something is new, too, in the darker tone of this novel. So far, there seems little leeway for mediation between those opposing groups.

One way in which I supplement the text is a literary review. Here's one from < https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20... >.

[Betty]

Sue wrote: "I have just picked up the book from the library and hope to begin this weekend..."

Each book can be appreciated alone even though common themes run through Miller's novels. I don't know whether you like any information about a book prior to reading. The following review lays out some key characteristics of Augustown and key moments in the real August Town. < https://www.theguardian.com/books/201... >.

[Sue]

It seems that this type of information would be really helpful, Asma, especially as I haven't kept up with all of the reading during the Jamaican year. I will check this out. From James' review, I think added information will be helpful too. I do know that I like Miller's prose style from the amount I read in The Warner Woman. And someday I hope to return to this Jamaican thread and read more of the books.

[Betty]

Sue wrote: "...I like Miller's prose style from the amount I read in The Warner Woman...."

Good news, Sue, is that the Jamaican segment continues into the end of April 2018 with a quick pace of weekly readings. Perhaps, someday I will read the Miller-authored books, which weren't part of this year.

His writing has won much good recognition among literary groups, a perception gathered from the author page on Wikipedia. And, Kirkus Reviews included Augustown among its best books of 2017. The latter article pointed out at least two of the book's settings, the present day of 1982 when the teacher cuts off Kaia's Rastafarian dreadlocks and the 1920s when the preacher Bedward demonstrates his ability to fly up to heaven. Other articles pointed out further allusions to Jamaican history from the slave emancipation of 1838 and the founding of the real August Town as well.

The Kirkus article brings out the importance of "how the place is misunderstood." That phrase reminds me of Miller's poetry book The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion . In it, the man not of Jamaica taking the mathematical measure of the land looks at and understands it differently than the local man whose memory and understanding of landmarks offer a different kind of knowledge unknown to the cartographer. Apparently, the trope of opposing mindsets (like Babylon and Jamaica), is a continuing theme, bringing out the authenticity of Jamaican language (patois) and culture.

In addition to the dual mindsets but related to them is the assignment of craziness to seemingly oddly behaved characters. The Last Warner Woman saw that happen to the narrator's mother, a prophetess (warning woman), after her relocation from Jamaica to Britain. The 'flying preacher' Bedward of the real August Town enters an asylum after the incident, according to Wikipedia: Augustown', Miller modifying that historical fact into folklore about Augustown and its inhabitants.

Drawing upon her presence half a century before at Bedward's aerial attempt, Great-aunt Ma Taffy relates the 'flying preacher' story to the shorn child Kaia. The Washington Times notes that Miller's characters craft their "experience as stories" as Ma Taffy does so.

[Sue]

I'm so glad that the Jamaica segment is extended as my reading really got disrupted this year. I plan to restart The Last Warner Woman And I also bought The Cartographer last summer too. I am behind on August town but will begin shortly. Miller's style really did catch me in The Last Warner Woman but I need to read him again to fall back into that rhythm. I like that play of the miraculous with the everyday.

[Betty]

Sue wrote: "...I like that play of the miraculous with the everyday."

An example of that way of writing happens when Ma Taffy tells Kaia the story of preacher Bedward's levitation. To her, he suspended himself in the air and would have reached Zion but for the literal hooks of Babylon dragging him back to earth.

[Betty]

Often, reading descriptions of books revive the characters and point out missing pieces.

https://hazlitt.net/feature/story-kee...

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14...

http://medhum.med.nyu.edu/view/17173 ['Summary' + 'Commentary']

https://bookpage.com/reviews/21345-ke...

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/book...

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

[Betty]

Augustown

Photo of Alexander Bedward from Jamaica Information Service

Related article: "Preserving Bedward’s Legacy" by Denise Dennis July 31, 2015.

[Betty]

Augustown

Articles and Images about Miller's character Alexander Bedward:

*The Paris Review.
"Rise Up" by Edward White October 5, 2016.

*Ian Thomson, noted in the above article.
"The (Flying?) Preachernan of Jamaica".

*National Library of Jamaica Digital.

“Tombstone of Alexander Bedward”

“Bedward, Alexander section of stonewall”

“Shepherd, Alexander Bedward”