The setting: London in the 1960s.
The players: A group of West Indian immigrants. There's Battersby and his sister, Jean, from Trinidad, and their friends, Nobby, Alfy, Fitz, Sylvester and Gallows. And then there's Harry Banjo, a calypso singer from Jamaica and Battersby's new roommate, who is the first to suggest they pool their money together to buy their very own house.
The dream: "Yes, yes, is time to get serious," Bat say. "Now listen. I ain't want to make no big speeches. Everybody know what hell it is to get a place to live, and the idea is to start saving up some money, and we put it together and buy a house."
The problem: "Ain't we going to buy a house?"
"That is only a lark," Jean say, "you think them fellars really serious? I know Battersby, he is my own brother, and I could tell you that up to now he ain't give me a ha'penny he save up. If I was you I think twice about that scheme."
The author: Of East Indian descent, Sam Selvon was born in Trinidad in 1923. He came to public attention during the 1950s with a number of other Caribbean writers. The Housing Lark was published in 1965.
My reaction: I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this novel, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. Selvon does an excellent job of portraying life in London for these West Indian immigrants, and the unfair prejudices they face. But he also doesn't flinch from showing each character's flaws and weaknesses; and he does it all with a lyrical lilt to his prose that calls to mind the Caribbean islands. It's not a long novel, only 125 pages, and every page is a delight. Selvon is a new-to-me author, and one I would definitely read again. This book also counts as my Classic by a BIPOC author for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge.
Happy Reading!
If I had wallpaper like that, I'd probably feel the compulsion to rub each lamp just in case!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! ;D
DeleteI can't recall reading anything about West Indies immigrants so this appeals to me and, had I not seen your post I would have never heard of this one. So thank you
ReplyDeleteIt was just bookish serendipity that I ran across this book in the first place, but I'm very glad I did. :)
DeleteThis does sound fun. I think I've heard of him, but I've certainly never read anything so this was good!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind reading him again. Too bad my library doesn't own any of his other books.
DeleteI've not read anything about West Indies immigrants so this sounds very interesting. And those quotes you shared are great. I'm even more intrigued. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never read any book about the West Indian immigrant experience in London, so that was very interesting! :)
DeleteThis does sound good! I'm glad you ended up finding each page a delight!
ReplyDeleteIt ended up being a very fun and entertaining read.
DeleteIt's nice to pick up something and find it to be an unexpected and delightful read! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my favorite things about books. :D
DeleteThis sounds great.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrical nature that you mention is one of several things that make it sound good.
There's a kind of rhythm to the way it's narrated and in the way the characters speak that I liked. :)
DeleteYou make this sound so good, Lark. I will have to look for it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to read it. :)
DeleteBoth the setting and the characters sound interesting! Glad to hear you enjoyed reading the book. :)
ReplyDeleteI did end up liking it a lot. :)
DeleteI can see why a book like this would be interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely highlighted an aspect of London life that I was not aware of before. :)
DeleteThis is new to me. I want to read this.
ReplyDeleteIt's good, and different from anything else I've read.
DeleteHey, you are doing really well with the Back to the Classics Challenge. Woot woot! I'm putting this on my list too. It wasn't until I read Deborah Levy's Small Island that I became aware of the Windrush generation and the influx of British subjects from the Caribbean who came to the UK after WWII. There's always so much out there to learn!
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to learn! And so many good books to read. :D
DeleteThis sounds like such a unique read. Glad you enjoyed it so much. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was unique, and I think that's what made it so fun. :)
DeleteSounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI liked it. :)
DeleteThis novel sounds really good and I like the image of a man staring at the wallpaper, daydreaming but realizing that the wallpaper is not going to open up and hand him his dreams. He has to get moving.
ReplyDeleteBattersby is a great character...even if 'getting moving' for him really means thinking and dreaming. :)
Deletethat sounds like the author has packed a whole heap into a few pages and done it well!
ReplyDeleteHe certainly captures that time period and those characters very well. :)
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