The True History of Paradise
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Book Overview
It is 1981. Jean Landing secretly plans to flee her beloved Jamaica-the only home her family has ever known, a place now rife with political turmoil. But before she can make her final preparations, she receives devastating news: Lana, her sister, is dead. The country's state of emergency leaves no time to arrange a proper funeral. Even Jean's mother, Monica, who hadn't spoken to Lana in more than a decade, cannot fully embrace her grief. The tragedy only underscores Jean's need to leave an island that holds no promise of a future. Her harrowing journey to freedom across a battered landscape takes Jean through a terrain of memories: of her childhood, with a detached mother at odds with an adoring father, of her complex bond with Lana, and of the friends and lovers who have shaped and shared her days. Epic in scope, The True History of Paradise poignantly portrays the complexities of family and racial identity in a troubled Eden.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0812979834
ISBN13:9780812979831
Release Date:July 2009
Publisher:Random House Publishing Group
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.65 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 5.1" x 7.9"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Island of Magic
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Anyone who loves Jamaica or who wants to learn more about Jamaica must read "True History" which is an exquisitely told story of a woman's history and farewell to this beautiful, torn island in the sun. Reading this wonderfully written and complex story served to crystalize my own feelings of ambivalence towards the home of my heart. I too was born and spent the first 20 years of my life there, and as I read the novel in my American house, the memories, the smells, the sights and sounds of the island washed over me and took me home. I long to be there, yet the reality of life in Jamaica is often frustrating and frightening. Similar to Jean's, my own Jamaican family tree is filled with Irish, French, English, African, and Indian branches. From the 1700's my family has struggled with, and loved passsionately, the harsh yet frequently magical reality that is Jamaica. Like Jean, every time I return, I try to imprint on my mind the beauty of the island, even as I am driven away by the impracticality of living there. At least I will have "True Paradise", like a time machine, to welcome me again and again.
wicked!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
This book is the real deal, a dead-on blend of contemporary and historical Jamaica presented through the eyes of a fascinating family of memorable characters. TTHOP is celebration and lament, an aching longing for home and homeland that is never quite soothed. A classic.
Brilliant!! A beautiful spellbinding piece of work!!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Cezair-Thompson takes actual historical facts and weaves them into a wonderful novel. The story centers on Jean Landing and tells the story of her family's heritage and Jamaican history. This novel gives insite into a lot of what shaped Jamaica into the country it is today. It tells of the Arawaks, the Maroons and some of the people who migrated to Jamaica. This enthralling novel is a must read for Jamaicans and anyone who wants to learn about Jamaican history. It is also just an exceptionally well-written novel for any reader. One of the best novels I have read in a long time. Bravo Magaret Cezair-Thompson.
A CLASSIC! ...SHOULD BE ON EVERY JAMAICAN'S BOOKSHELF
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Cezair-Thompson's "TRUE" HISTORY is fiction, yet history. This work brings to life the island's harshest realities, centuries of its colourful history, the dynamism of its polygenetic people, and its breathtakingly beautiful landscape in such a manner that leaves the reader marvelling at Cezair-Thompson's amazing artistry...at her talented interweaving of fact and fiction into a most beautiful tapestry depicting Jamaican life. It is a riveting account of a heartbreaking period in our history, and anyone who lived through the 70s in Kingston will inevitably live through it again when reading this book. My job requires me to read a great many books...and never have I so closely identified with any of them as I do to TRUE HISTORY. Cezair-Thompson has told many a Jamaican's story in this book...she tells the story of many of us that live here and has certainly told the story of most of our diaspora. A highly recommended read for all Jamaicans, for anyone interested in Caribbean literature and/or history, for anyone appreciative of literary techniques, and for anyone who just wants a truly great read!
Jamaica is the "Paradise" in this beautiful compelling tale.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
"A True History of Paradise" is one of those novels so totally compelling you want them never to end, and when they do, you can't wait to hear that the author has pubished another book continuing the story. It's a fascinating tale told from the point of view of a modern young Jamaican woman, Jean Landing. Her story is punctuated with fascinating reminiscences of her ancestors and descriptions of events from friends' and relatives'viewpoints. Exciting and informative, complex but lucid, and well-crafted, the novel vividly demonstrates some of the difficulties created by colonialism. Because of her intelligence, her powerful ability to empathize, and her mixed-race heritage, the story Jean tells is enlightening as well as engrossing. Her vivid descriptions of her homeland reveal it as an almost unbearably beautiful country. I want to visit Jamaica, and I want to hear more about Jean!
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