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The Jacob Ladder
A single bowl of soup changes a family forever.
Growing up in a small Jamaican town where his father works the docks and his mother does laundry, "Tall T" both fears and loves his father, Brother John, who leaves his six children in dire poverty by losing his wages each week to bone dice and rum. As if that were not bad enough, Brother John is bewitched by the obeah woman next door and leaves his family for her. Forced to leave school because he has no uniform, Tall T starts reading, guided by the local librarian, but he still feels helpless until he proves to himself that he is a man by climbing a 60-foot cliff called the Jacob Ladder.
Growing up in a small Jamaican town where his father works the docks and his mother does laundry, "Tall T" both fears and loves his father, Brother John, who leaves his six children in dire poverty by losing his wages each week to bone dice and rum. As if that were not bad enough, Brother John is bewitched by the obeah woman next door and leaves his family for her. Forced to leave school because he has no uniform, Tall T starts reading, guided by the local librarian, but he still feels helpless until he proves to himself that he is a man by climbing a 60-foot cliff called the Jacob Ladder.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
20 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Hausman
131 books18 followersGerald Andrews Hausman is a storyteller and award-winning author of books about Native America, animals, mythology, and West Indian culture. Hausman comes from a long line of storytellers and educators, and has published over seventy books for both children and adults.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 6, 2020
This true story really captured my imagination. It's about a boy nicknamed Tall T (Uton) as he tries to figure out how to earn money after his father decides one day to leave the family. This story takes place in Oracabessa Jamaica and the island really comes to life in the pages of this book. Most people may think of Jamaica as sabdy beaches and palm trees but it's a lot more: obeah (witches) and the spells they cast, unique foods, schools you can attend barefoot, a one room library, bats hanging in your bedroom, cooking and eating outside under a little roof and a very unique vocabulary..
And of course there's junkonnu, which is a traveling dance they do at Christmas. Their Christmas is so very different than ours! In fact there's no real similarities at all. This book is so special because it tells us all about their customs and how they actually live. And since it's someone's actual story we know it's accurate. And I'm very glad they had a glossary at the back of the book too..that was very helpful!
Tall T is inspiring. He tried his best and was successful, although things didn't always turn out the way he had hoped. When one option didn't work out he looked for an alternative instead of just giving up. He also faces his fear of climbing the fifty feet tall Jacob's ladder at the end: steps carved out of a clay cliff. It's so steep you cling to vines as you climb it.
The story could also serve as a lesson about gambling - when you gamble you never have any money.
A great book about life in Jamaica!
And of course there's junkonnu, which is a traveling dance they do at Christmas. Their Christmas is so very different than ours! In fact there's no real similarities at all. This book is so special because it tells us all about their customs and how they actually live. And since it's someone's actual story we know it's accurate. And I'm very glad they had a glossary at the back of the book too..that was very helpful!
Tall T is inspiring. He tried his best and was successful, although things didn't always turn out the way he had hoped. When one option didn't work out he looked for an alternative instead of just giving up. He also faces his fear of climbing the fifty feet tall Jacob's ladder at the end: steps carved out of a clay cliff. It's so steep you cling to vines as you climb it.
The story could also serve as a lesson about gambling - when you gamble you never have any money.
A great book about life in Jamaica!
February 28, 2008
I have read the Jacob Ladder with a lot of enjoyment. This book is based in a persons life who lifs in Jamaica, his name is Uton Hinds, known as Tall-T. Copes with his fathers abandonment because his father, call John known as the brother John. Doesnt like the life there in Jamaica. Now with out his father he has to find the way to keep all his family together. The narrative is very good with sounds, drama and magic of aislan life. It also talk about how he put some goals at himself,like take care of his family and if he make it, he promise that he will climb the Jacob Lader. I think this is a special book because it reafirms the true meaning of family,because in the book hapened a lot of real things that hapened in the real families like love and faith.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews