The Harder They Come [Paperback]

Michael Thelwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 1994

Like the acclaimed film of the same title, this lyrical, lilting, densely textured novel is based on the exploits of the legendary Jamaican folk hero and reggae star Rhygin. With passion and precision, Michael Thelwell recounts Rhygin’s journey from a morally coherent rural universe to the teeming, predatory slums of Kingston, his rebellion against the poverty and corruption of postcolonial Jamaica, his blazing, simultaneous rise to the top of the charts and the Most Wanted list.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Like the acclaimed film of the same title, this lyrical, lilting, densely textured novel is based on the exploits of the legendary Jamaican folk hero and reggae star Rhygin. With passion and precision, Michael Thelwell recounts Rhygin's journey from a morally coherent rural universe to the teeming, predatory slums of Kingston, his rebellion against the poverty and corruption of postcolonial Jamaica, his blazing, simultaneous rise to the top of the charts and the Most Wanted list.

"A magnificent achievement-moving, eloquent, defiant. It is a major milestone in the cultural history of black people. Mr. Thelwell has put us all in his debt."--Chinua Achebe

"Masterly.... One of the very few novels worthy of the black experience in our age."--Harold Bloom

"Thelwell's writing is lush, his imagery powerful, his characters full of depth, his attention to detail admirable."--Los Angeles Times

"An authentic and exceedingly rich portrait of Jamaican life beyond the tourist hotels."--The New York Times

"Destined to become a classic, and one that our children can be proud of."--The Black Scholar

"A fine novel, rich in language, deep in characterization, compelling in action, and provocative in it vision. In its way, it is a kind of novelized reggae."--The Boston Globe

"The most authentic and evocative portrait of the Jamaican poor--the rich and sustaining vernacular of their culture, the sheer heroism of their economic existence--that I have seen."--Jarvis Anderson, The New Republic

Born in Jamaica, Michael Thelwell was the founding chairman of the W.E.B. DuBois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he continues to teach. He has published a number of works, including two noted collections of essays, Duties, Pleasures, and Conflicts: Essays in Struggle and Hopes and Impediments. He is currently working on a biography of the former Black Panther leader Stokely Carmichael, now known as Kwame Ture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press; First Edition edition (January 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802131387
• ISBN-13: 978-0802131386
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #532,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THTC - A Must For Those Into Jamaican Culture/Folklore, July 18, 2001

By 

Brett (Wildwood, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Harder They Come (Paperback)

This book is a treasure that I happened to come across in a 'discount bin' at a bookstore - but like so many of the books that are greatly reduced in price, this one is truly priceless . . . I have always been interested in Jamaican culture and society, and just finished reading Timothy White's 'Catch a Fire - The Life of Bob Marley' which was the perfect way to get in the mindset for Michael Thelwell's masterpiece 'The Harder They Come.' This book is not simply a tale of the legendary Rhygin who was a hero of the common Jamaican sufferah, but also a glimpse into the life of Jamaicans following the period of British colonial rule - So many themes are present in the novel - the contrast between country and city, the traditions and myths of those living in the bush, the hand to mouth existence of so many Jamaican poor that live in Kingston, the power struggle of politics and law, as well as the ganja trade which somehow effects all Jamaicans . . .

This book will immerse you in Jamaican culture, and I'm not talking about the resorts on the coast - this is the real deal and is a must read!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic third world story, May 31, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Winchester, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Harder They Come (Paperback)

Not a cheap novelization, but a work with its own life. Unforgettable story about Babylon and its impact upon the poor of Jamaica. If you are a fan of the movie, or if you are not, this is a good one for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Opreshan is only fe a season", October 9, 2007

By 

Caroline W. Casey "standupcoyote" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Harder They Come (Paperback)

Whoa, finished reading it last night, and can't yet bear to loan it to anyone. The book itself is alive, with ooh, such rich rich language, such a dedicated finely crafted narrative down to the last line. Want to re-read and quote passages. The humming vital poetic deep ironic language of Jamaican is such a vital tonic to the world's brew of what we must know. And I too, found this book, dusty, in an eccentric venue, while having a conversaion about Perry Henzell (who made the movie.) Aha! Synchronous grace. And thought "hmm..what's this?" I'd just read Perry Henzell's "Power Game", which was pretty cool. But this is a masterpiece. (It would be wildly amusingly great if it were required reading for anyone travelling to Jamaica. Just so you know wha's up. Look and feel deeply into things.)
May the reader like Sidney in the book: "Praises to Jah, Pedro exulted silently. Sidney fin' 'im heart."