BOOK REVIEW: THE LONELY LONDONERS BY SAMUEL SELVON (A WEST INDIAN CLASSIC)

Synopsis 

 At Waterloo Station, hopeful new arrivals from the West Indies step off the boat train, ready to start afresh in 1950s London. There, homesick Moses Aloetta, who has already lived in the city for years, meets Henry 'Sir Galahad' Oliver and shows him the ropes. In this strange, cold and foggy city where the natives can be less than friendly at the sight of a black face, has Galahad met his Waterloo?

But the irrepressible newcomer cannot be cast down. He and all the other lonely new Londoners - from shiftless Cap to Tolroy, whose family has descended on him from Jamaica - must try to create a new life for themselves. As pessimistic 'old veteran' Moses watches their attempts, they gradually learn to survive and come to love the heady excitements of London.

My Thoughts 

"What is is that a city have, that any place in the world have, that you get so much to like it you wouldn't leave it for anywhere else? What it is that would keep men although by and large, in truth and in fact, they catching their royal to make a living, staying in a cramp-up room where you have to do everything-sleep, eat, dress, wash cook, live.....Why it is, that in the end, everyone cagey about saying outright that if a chance come they will go back to them green islands in the sun?" SAMUEL SELVON - THE LONELY LONDONERS

This is a masterpiece from one of the geniuses of Trinidadian and Caribbean Literature.

During my school days studying literature Samuel Selvon was one of the first local authors I was introduced to. For Lit I read A Brighter Sun and Ways of Sunlight which were assigned readings at the time. It took me years to find this particular title and I am so glad that it surpassed my expectations. 

The Lonely Londoners spoke to the experiences of West Indians who, migrated to London in the post World War 2 era. They are commonly referred to as the Windrush generation. The story spoke to the struggles with employment, race relations and the loneliness felt by the young men who went to this strange land looking for a better life. 

The story is told by Moses, a Trinidadian who having lived in London for ten years, shares his experiences with young Henry aka Sir Galahad a newbie to London who was told that Moses was the best person to show him the ropes. We are introduced to other characters Cap, Five, Tolroy and others and through the experiences of these men we learn what life was like for migrants at that time.

I must mention the clever use of Trinidadian "parlance" in the writing was excellent. There were many instances where I would laugh but the sense of loneliness, uncertainty, hardship and sadness came through the pages.

I loved this book.