Customer Reviews

The Pleasures of Exile (Ann Arbor Paperbacks)

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Although published in 1960, this collection of essays still carries vast currency. This is a fantastic example of "historical revisionism" in that Prospero and Caliban have their relationship subverted and reformulated. As a descendant of slaves and the product of Western culture (he convincingly makes the case that all of us are either the latter or both), George Lamming realizes that we can't reject our past, but only grow from realizing what it means to us. Out of this tradition we can forge towards a hopeful future, neither forgetting nor refusing to let go of history. We have a responsibility to act for a better future, and Lamming articulates this in myriad splendid ways, through what he says is "one man's experience."

This book was interesting and well written, weaving the themes of slavery and oppression with the characters of a Shakespeare play. Although I admire the author's perseverence with the theme, I found it tiring and often hard to get into. I read it for a class and can't say I would've given it a second glance otherwise.