BOOK REVIEW
by Jack Hardy
THE FLEDGLING by Chester Thompson
White Sound Press
Available at Loyalist Shoppe, Marsh Harbour, $15.
It was a distinct privilege to be shown a copy of Chester Thompson's book 'The Fledgling' before it was published and asked for observations. After reading the story I realised I held in my hands the one Bahamian book that is likely to be widely read and enjoyed outside our islands.
Chester Thompson was born in Hope Town and served in the Royal Navy during World War II. 'The Fledgling' is the story - based on his own childhood - of a boy growing up in Hope Town early this century. All the true details of everyday life are there and the reader is soon drawn into the pattern and rhythms of island life.
The author takes us through the action with a deceptive simplicity that turns eloquent when describing the natural beauty of his island and its surrounding waters. We feel the hardships and privations that were part of island life yet are drawn by the resilience and good humour of its people. We are taken inside homes for intimate family moments and share in the inevitable tragedies of a seafaring community, yet there are hilarious incidents which made me laugh out loud.
Chester Thompson has served his own people very well by allowing their heritage to be shared by all in a way a dozen history books could not achieve. As he says in his foreword: "We are the custodians of a multi-coloured tapestry woven of memories, depicting the struggles and triumphs of our parents and grandparents." In acting as the custodian of a brief period of Hope Town's community history, Chester Thompson has produced a work of literature.
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