Notes from a small island
A weblog by Jonathan Ali


Friday, June 11, 2004  

To the unnamed book traders and commentators referred to under the misleading headline "Windrush saga's surprise triumph" (June 9) who decried Andrea Levy's Small Island for having an "overfamiliar" theme: please give me a list of the novels, television dramas, and films that focus on Jamaicans' and white English peoples' experiences, emotions and relationships during the second world war and immediately afterwards.

Incidentally, those who actually read the novel - and not just because it has a "striking cover" - will know that it is not a saga about Windrush and that it is not a comedy, although there are comic moments. Also at the end of last week, Small Island was joint favourite for at least one major bookmaker.

Pity you inclined to trivalise a wonderful moment for British black women writers with such a mean-spirited report.
Lola Young
London

-- A letter published in today's UK Guardian, commenting on Andrea Levy winning the Orange Prize for her novel, Small Island. (Levy has characterised the win as her own "Halle Berry moment".)

posted by Jonathan | 10:59 AM 0 comments

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