Guyana

The Girl from the Sugar Plantation

1934, British Guiana, South America: As the mixed-race daughter of two white plantation owners, Mary Grace’s childhood has been clouded by whispered rumours about her parentage, and the circumstances of her birth have been kept a closely guarded secret.

Her place in society uncertain, Mary Grace has to forge her own path in the world, and finds herself unexpectedly falling for charming and affluent Jock Campbell, a planter with revolutionary ideas.

But, with the onset of the Second World War, everyone’s life will change forever. Mary Grace and Jock will be faced with the hardest decision of all—to fight for freedom or to follow their hearts…

“This is a powerful book of love, relationships and trust. What great writing from a great author… five stars!” —Stardust Book Reviews

“An epic story of family deceit, love and identity set against a stunning backdrop… I adored this book and recommend it highly.” —Bloomin’ Brilliant Books

Note: Part of the 4-book Quint Chronicles. However, each book is also a standalone, and can be read out of chronological order.

(Group read suggestion from Julie Jacobs, book club moderator.)

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The Far Away Girl

She dreamed of finding a new life…Georgetown, Guyana 1970.

Seven-year-old Rita is running wild in her ramshackle white wooden house by the sea, under the indulgent eye of her absent-minded father. Surrounded by her army of stray pets, free to play where she likes and climb the oleander trees, she couldn’t feel more alive. But then her new stepmother Chandra arrives and the house empties of love and laughter.

Rita’s pets are removed, her freedom curtailed, and before long, there’s a new baby sister on the way. There’s no room for Rita anymore. With her father distracted by his new family, Rita spends more time alone in her bedroom. Desperate to fill up the hollow inside her, she begins to talk to the only photo she has of her mother Cassie, a woman she cannot remember.

Rita has never known what happened to Cassie, a poor farmer’s daughter from the remote Guyanese rainforest. Determined to find the truth, Rita travels to find her mother’s family in an unfamiliar land of shimmering creeks and towering vines. She finds comfort in the loving arms of her grandmother among the flowering shrubs and trees groaning with fruit. But when she discovers the terrible bruising secret that her father kept hidden from her, will she ever be able to feel happiness again?

“Breathtakingly beautiful… a heartbreaking story.” —Bloomin’ Brilliant Books

(Group read suggestion from Julie Jacobs, book club moderator.)

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Guyana Memories

Dr. Hanif Gulmahamad was born in 1945 on a British colonial sugar plantation growing up in a small cottage on the Springlands Sugar Estate. He later emigrated to the US to attend university graduating with honors returning to his homeland for a single year to teach at the University of Guyana before permanently moving back to the US.

This book showcases 4 short stories, 11 works of nonfiction, and 48 poems of his. Some are of historical Guyanese significance that have previously been unrecorded and could well have been lost in the passage of time if not for this collection. Some pieces focus on local culture in Guyana—hunting birds with slingshots, crafting kites , catching fish at No. 73 waterside, and the notorious fowl thieves of the village. A few pieces represent the new Guyanese diaspora.

“A sentimental journey of the author's recollections of his boyhood in Guyana [evoking] the innocent and simple way of life in a long ago and far away land before moving to the US. Interesting, nostalgic, funny, sad, and thought-provoking.” —Guyanese Online

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A New Look at Jonestown

The 1978 Jonestown Massacre in Guyana is considered one of the greatest peacetime horrors. Almost all of the lives lost were Americans. The death toll exceeded 900, including some 300 who were age 17 and under, making this one of the largest mass deaths in American history.

At the time, Guyanese Prime Minister Burnham dismissed it as “an American problem.” All the books until now on the subject were written by people from outside Guyana. This book is the first by a Guyanese resident and is now available in the US for the first time.

Jim Jones was a charismatic US cult leader who founded what became the Peoples Temple in the 1950s. Following negative media attention in the 1970s, the powerful, controlling preacher moved with some 1,000 of his followers to the Guyanese jungle, where he promised they would establish a utopian community.

On November 18, 1978, U.S. Representative Leo Ryan went to Jonestown to investigate claims of abuse and was murdered along with four members of his delegation. That same day, Jones ordered his followers to ingest poison-laced punch while armed guards stood by. In total, 918 lives were lost.

This is the story of Jonestown finally told from a Guyanese perspective, written by one of Guyana’s most distinguished political leaders who is often referred to as “Guyana’s Gandhi.” Also included are excerpts from the writings of several other Guyanese, including George Danns, Walter Rodney, and Jan Carew.

“A New Look at Jonestown is an elucidating, mesmerising read that transcends Jones' captivating, precipitous slide into madness..” —The Gleaner

“Well worth reading.” —Kaieteur News

(Group read suggestion from Beth McCrea, book club co-founder.)

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Path to Freedom

A multi award-winning, historically-accurate memoir which the Smithsonian displays in its Anacostia Museum Library

Little about Conrad Taylor's upbringing in a remote mining town deep in the impenetrable tropical rain forests of Guyana prepared him for West Point. An extraordinary opportunity for most, attending the highly-regimented United States Military Academy was a life-changer for him. Enduring culture shock, navigating rude awakenings, and surviving the rigorous West Point experience hardened Taylor for return to a Guyanese government which had become a dictatorship overnight. Paranoid about regime change and now anti-American, leaders of the dictatorship were fearful the young graduate had become a spy for the United States.

With authentic samples of Guyanese life both before and after West Point alongside a vivid description of his time at the military academy, Taylor’s book chronicles the hardships he faced and the eventual epic journey to freedom that he made back to the US. The narrative charts a sometimes-humorous journey of resilience, hope, survival, and love. Its revelations will be nostalgic for some, shocking to many, and enlightening for others.

“Conrad Taylor's captivating memoir is an extremely interesting read, thanks to Taylor's talent for illustrating his life's journey in such a fascinating way. Difficult to put down until the end. For those looking to be inspired, as well as broaden their knowledge about Guyana and Third World political affairs, this commendable memoir is highly recommended.” —Lit Amri

(Group read suggestion from Beth McCrea, book club co-founder.)

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Walk Wit’ Me

There is a saying that most Guyanese use to identify their roots after they have voluntarily immigrated or simply fled to another country: “My navel string is buried in Guyana” meaning my roots are there. It’s a place where true and enduring friendships were formed forever. Guyanese will meet one another decades later and feel as if it was yesterday, reminiscing about their beloved land; lapsing into the language only a fellow Guyanese can understand.

Before immigrating to Australia, Helena believed the sun only rose and set in Guyana. She never imagined another paradise existed on the planet.

Helena’s memoir is laced with nostalgia and, at the same time, it is her sincere intention to portray the true essence of the Guyanese culture. This is not only an account of her first 21 years of life in Guyana, it also contains anecdotes of visits back to her homeland alongside a sprinkling about her new life in Australia.

“What an eye opener! Written by a Guyanese of working-class Portuguese extraction, [this book teaches] so much about the social setting and economics of a much-neglected and rarely-written-about group of Guyanese. Often, these stories are told orally and then lost. Helena has written them with great detail and humour. Highly recommended.” —Eva James

Note: The use of colloquialism is of utmost importance to the local culture—it is the vernacular Guyanese understand. The included glossary at the back is helpful for understanding local phrases and sayings which may not be clear to some.

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