Independence Blues
W. B. Garvey
(Author)
Description
A vivid chronicle of an immigrant family challenged by the contradictions of the American Dream. In 1939, Emerson Gardner, a successful Jamaican pharmacist and aspiring doctor, crosses class and social lines and marries Madeline Jans, a free-spirited pediatric nurse risen from poverty. In 1946, the childless couple journey to the United States, landing in New Orleans before pursuing their dreams to New York where they become U.S. citizens. When the force of racial prejudice dashes their hopes of Emerson becoming a doctor, they venture to Los Angeles, content to stay and build a new life after Madeline finally conceives the son she has long wished for.
Interwoven with their story is the family's 1963 drive across the southern tier of the United States, from Los Angeles to Miami, after Emerson decides they are going to return to Jamaica now that the island has become independent. The three day trip is seen through the eyes of their 9-year-old son who is bewildered by the rising tensions provoked by the civil rights movement and the conflicts between his parents as their once happy marriage dissolves in bitterness.
Product Details
| Publisher | Jonkro Books |
| Publish Date | November 04, 2021 |
| Pages | 274 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Paperback / softback |
| EAN/UPC | 9780982229477 |
| Dimensions | 9.0 X 6.0 X 0.6 inches | 0.8 pounds |
About the Author
Reviews
Throughout, the story transitions between the perspectives of Madeline and Emerson at different stages in their lives, and the internal monologue of their son is endearingly narrated during the three-day road trip . . . Garvey offers a rich sense of the family's experience. This character-driven outing is a trip worth taking. Publisher's Weekly
What strikes the reader is the tragic gap-no, chasm-between these Black characters' obvious talents and indomitable striving and the way that they get rebuffed time and time and time again. . . . An important, coming-of-age tale with a sensitive observant lead. Kirkus Reviews
Garvey's prose is buoyant, lyrical, and layered. Moments of humor are laced throughout the narrative, along with keen observations about human behavior and the injustices of the Jim Crow era. . . . Garvey does a masterful job of creating a fully engaging narrative through pitch-perfect prose and nuanced characterizations. BookLife Prize
With its expressive flow of people's stories with history, Independence Blues is an eloquent novel in which a distinctive family travels a country on the cusp of integral change. Foreword Reviews
Garvey deftly narrates past and present time lines in this interesting study of the way outside forces steer the lives of both characters over several decades. Booklist
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