Pilgrim State

by Jacqueline Walker

From An original take on a family memoir told in 4 narrative voices, including original documentation and a geographic backdrop that spans the USA, Jamaica and Britain. The style is lyrical and uses myth to tell this gripping story of loss, love and resurrection.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2008

About the author

I was born in the US with a Jamaican mother and Russian father. My mother was deported with 2 of her three children (including me) in 1956. I spent three years in Jamaica before joining my mother in Canada en-route to the UK arriving in London as a very young part of the 'Windrush' generation.
In 2002 I began to write Pilgrim State, which was sold by auction to Hodder Headline in 2007, published in hardback and audio under the Sceptre imprint April 2008. Paperback due April 2009. If you want to download the first chapter go onto their website at www.pilgrimstate.co.uk. It's received what is called 'critical acclaim', lots of radio and press - Hodder have high hopes.
One of the issues about Pilgrim State is that even though it's termed 'memoir' it reads more like a novel with four narrative voices, photos and original documentation contained within the myth of Demeter and Persephone. It's poetic, lyrical, a love song - to life.

Reviews

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both a tribute and a homage by the author to her mother, Dorothy Brown (1915-1965), a Jamaican who had come to the U.S on scholarship (to study medicine) in 1944, married, had 2 children, divorced, and was placed under psychiatric counselling and treatment (on the recommendation of the ex-husband, who was a rather vindictive and controlling man) at 'Pilgrim State' in Brentwood, NY --- so named because in its time, the center was the largest hospital in the world. Dorothy was released from Pilgrim State, lived for a time in New York, where she met the man who became the author's father. But her stay in the U.S. was not to be permanent. Despite Dorothy's efforts to make a better life for herself and her 3 children, she was judged by the U.S. as "not of sound character" and deported to Jamaica with 2 of her children (the oldest was placed in the custody of the ex-husband) in 1956.

The author writes lovingly of a mother of wide-ranging ambitions, a fierce intelligence, and boundless love and devotion for her children. Despite all the challenges and obstacles placed before her, Dorothy travelled to Canada to work and save money for a year and a half so that she and her children could emigrate to Britain, which they did in 1959.

Here is a richly inspirational story that will touch the heart of any reader who believes in the power of love.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

a passenger left this on the plane so i decided to take it. its a memoir, a woman tellng erh daughter the story of her mother's struggles and life. the author's mother came from jamaica and had issues with her husband, immigration, depression and raising three of her four kids on her own. a lot of the book was pretty boring, its not a fast, exciting read. theres not a lot going on, and its a bit confusing because it goes back and forth between past and present tense and is told from the author and her mother's point of view. i wouldnt recommend it to anyone, but its not a bad read if you have the time.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful read

A really beautiful book. I could not put it down. It is so tender, vivid and sensual. The deep love that Jackie and her brothers had for their beautiful and vibrant mother and for a life far away from the greyness of 1960s London pervades this memoir.

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving and heartfelt autobiographical work that explores a series of difficult mother-daughter relationships over a number of generations of the author's family in America. Jamaica and South East London. Jackie is devoted to her mother and though Dorothy has spells away from the family whether working or in hospital, she is determined to do the best for them in difficult circumstances. The bond stays strong though the tribulations of poverty, racism, illness and interventions from the social services. Despite the painful subject matter the writing is approachable, evocative and often lyrical.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very moving as Jackie remembers her childhood and tries to make sense of her mother's story by talking to her own daughter. The contrast between her memories of her mother and the harsher view when the outside world looks on rings very true. Perhaps her mother was bi-polar as she obviously has times of severe depression but there are other times, such as when she parades for Easter in a way even Jackie finds embarrassing, when she seems quite manic.
She captures the child's eye perspective amazingly well.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, vibrant novel describing life in Deptford for an immigrant Jamaican family in the early 1960s. More particularly, the mother-daughter relationship is explored in colourful depth by using flashbacks and imagery exposing life in the raw. I read an uncorrected manuscript which was a fascinating experience, as it flowed in 'stream of consciousness' style in places!

[Ade Bailey]

I have read the first chapter of this which is available online from the publisher. It is brilliant. I can't wait to read the rest.

[The Bookish Wombat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir, written as a novel, of the author's mother's journey from the Caribbean to a New York mental asylum to 1950s London. Intimate and moving.

[Lucy Lowry]

Quite good - the best bit was probably the nightmarish opening chapter, but other parts of it were very vivid and have stayed with me too. Pretty amazing story to write about one's own mother.