Book Description

The Struggle For Survival eloquently retells the story of the tragic 1993 banana strike that culminated in the shooting death of two farmers. However, by going beyond the tragedy and delving into the island's history, farmers' struggles against droughts, hurricanes, falling prices, corrupt institutions, and multinational corporations are seen as a microcosm of the struggles of a people against slavery, colonialism, imperialism, and natural calamities. As such, The Struggle For Survival is nothing less than a story about the birth of a nation, and, by portrayal, the birth of West Indian Civilization. The Struggle For Survival is history that reads like a novel. The book is a multilayered and dynamic narrative of the history, politics, culture, and economics of St. Lucia. With just one glance through history, the book captures the essence of St. Lucian society. In this third edition, The Struggle for Survival presents yet another gem. It includes a chapter on the golden era of St. Lucian art and culture, amply called the St. Lucia Renaissance, that gave rise to such artistic and literary giants as Derek Walcott, Dunstan St. Omer, Garth St. Omer, Roderick Walcott, and Charles Cadet, who, arguably, have remained unmatched in St. Lucia in their respective fields of artistic endeavor. "The Struggle for Survival is a thoroughly researched and well documented economic history of the banana industry ... it is an important road map of St. Lucia in the pre and post-independence period." -Sir John Compton, First Premier and Prime Minister of St. Lucia ..". excellent work ... a powerful commentary ... a deep sincere analytical look into the state of things in the island today ... a catalog of events and circumstances that shaped St. Lucia and its people for over three centuries ... truly a compendium of St. Lucian life from early times to the modern era ... thoroughly enjoyed myself reading the book." -Modeste Downes, Author of Phases "Anderson Reynolds sharply analyses the effect of bananas on the nation's way of life, ... He relates the account of the violent 'banana no-cut strike' of 1993 in a political perspective, offering the reader a wealth of information on how bananas and power are intertwined." -David Vitalis, The Mirror "The Struggle For Survival, although obviously well researched, is an easy-to-read intriguing story of the social and political development of St. Lucia. The book lays the basis for critical examinations of the legacy of European plantocracy and a determination of modern history's perception of the descendant of African slaves in the Caribbean as victor or victims in our political destiny. The Struggle For Survival held my attention from beginning to end." -Travis Weekes, Author of Let There Be Jazz ..". an invaluable book, a source of much information. Much scholarly research has gone into the writing of this work ... chronicled in dramatic sequence, those disasters and misfortunes which, periodically, have affected the island from its discovery down to the present day . . . Dr. Reynolds displays a great fascination for history . . . the book is an effort to establish who and what we are, what makes us tick . . . in a very definite way, establishes the Saint Lucian personality, the Saint Lucian national and cultural identity." -Jacques Compton, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts"In Dr. Reynolds, St. Lucia has produced another writer of the calibre, or of even deeper essence than Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul."- Peter Lansiquot, CARICOM economist and diplomat