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Bivouac
The death of a Jamaican man’s father raises questions about the father’s political endeavors, and about the plight of 1980s Jamaica.
When Ferron Morgan’s father dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma is exacerbated by the conflict within his family and among his father’s friends over whether the death was the result of medical negligence or if it was a political assassination. Ferron grew up in awe of his father’s radical political endeavors, but in later years he watched as the resurgence of the political right in the Caribbean in the 1980s robbed the man of his faith.
Ferron’s response to the death is further complicated by guilt, particularly over his failure to protect his fiancée from a brutal assault. He begins to investigate the direction of his life with great intensity, in particular his instinct to keep moving on and running from trouble.
This is a sharply focused portrayal of Jamaica at a tipping point in its recent past, in which the private grief and trauma condenses a whole society’s scarcely understood sense of temporariness and dislocation.
When Ferron Morgan’s father dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma is exacerbated by the conflict within his family and among his father’s friends over whether the death was the result of medical negligence or if it was a political assassination. Ferron grew up in awe of his father’s radical political endeavors, but in later years he watched as the resurgence of the political right in the Caribbean in the 1980s robbed the man of his faith.
Ferron’s response to the death is further complicated by guilt, particularly over his failure to protect his fiancée from a brutal assault. He begins to investigate the direction of his life with great intensity, in particular his instinct to keep moving on and running from trouble.
This is a sharply focused portrayal of Jamaica at a tipping point in its recent past, in which the private grief and trauma condenses a whole society’s scarcely understood sense of temporariness and dislocation.
- GenresFiction
248 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
1 person is currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Kwame Dawes
119 books180 followersBorn in Ghana in 1962, Kwame Dawes spent most of his childhood and early adult life in Jamaica . As a poet, he is profoundly influenced by the rhythms and textures of that lush place, citing in a recent interview his "spiritual, intellectual, and emotional engagement with reggae music." His book Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius remains the most authoritative study of the lyrics of Bob Marley.
His 11th collection of verse, Wisteria: Poems From the Swamp Country, was published in January 2006. In February, 2007 Akashic Books published his novel, She's Gone and Peepal Tree Books published his 12th collection of poetry, Impossible Flying, and his non-fiction work, A Far Cry From Plymouth Rock: A Personal Narrative.
His essays have appeared in numerous journals including Bomb Magazine, The London Review of Books, Granta, Essence, World Literature Today and Double Take Magazine.
In October, 2007, his thirteenth book of poems, Gomer's Song will appear on the Black Goat imprint of Akashic Books. Dawes has seen produced some twenty of his plays over the past twenty-five years including, most recently a production of his musical, One Love, at the Lyric Hammersmith in London .
Kwame Dawes is Distinguished Poet in Residence, Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts and Founder and executive Director of the South Carolina Poetry Initiative. He is the director of the University of South Carolina Arts Institute and the programming director of the Calabash International Literary Festival, which takes place in Jamaica in May of each year.
His 11th collection of verse, Wisteria: Poems From the Swamp Country, was published in January 2006. In February, 2007 Akashic Books published his novel, She's Gone and Peepal Tree Books published his 12th collection of poetry, Impossible Flying, and his non-fiction work, A Far Cry From Plymouth Rock: A Personal Narrative.
His essays have appeared in numerous journals including Bomb Magazine, The London Review of Books, Granta, Essence, World Literature Today and Double Take Magazine.
In October, 2007, his thirteenth book of poems, Gomer's Song will appear on the Black Goat imprint of Akashic Books. Dawes has seen produced some twenty of his plays over the past twenty-five years including, most recently a production of his musical, One Love, at the Lyric Hammersmith in London .
Kwame Dawes is Distinguished Poet in Residence, Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts and Founder and executive Director of the South Carolina Poetry Initiative. He is the director of the University of South Carolina Arts Institute and the programming director of the Calabash International Literary Festival, which takes place in Jamaica in May of each year.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 21, 2019
The basic plot of this book is a man coming to terms with the sudden, mysterious death of his father. Ferron grew up watching his father engage in Jamaica's politics, but he himself doesn't have anything to do with them. His life drifts along until his father's death, which coincides with an attack on his fiance. Suddenly, Ferron's life is up in the air, and he falls apart, albeit in a quiet, slow way.
I had to read the entire book in order to understand its beauty. So much of it feels unnecessary, especially the unpublished notes of Ferron's father. I felt impatient with the story most of the way through it, but after reflecting on it for awhile I am impressed with the character study of Ferron, even though it doesn't seem like much while you are reading the story. Ferron has no way to process the traumas he has gone through, so he shuts down in way that at first is loud and obvious (hiding in a shack in the woods) and then much more quietly (engaging in a weird relationship with a random woman he meets in a doctor's office). He has stomach problems, family problems, money issues, and of course, the pressure of being the son of such a complicated man. Ferron's father is still a legacy of his politically connected friends, and Ferron is expected to reflect his father back at them for their own memories. When you look back at the huge scope of pressures Ferron is facing you can forgive him for being somewhat self-centered and wishy-washy. Sometimes when life is hard we just can't decide to do anything.
I am thrilled Kwame Dawes has written a novel, since I have always admired his poetry. I ended up liking this book a lot, even though it felt like a chore to read it.
I had to read the entire book in order to understand its beauty. So much of it feels unnecessary, especially the unpublished notes of Ferron's father. I felt impatient with the story most of the way through it, but after reflecting on it for awhile I am impressed with the character study of Ferron, even though it doesn't seem like much while you are reading the story. Ferron has no way to process the traumas he has gone through, so he shuts down in way that at first is loud and obvious (hiding in a shack in the woods) and then much more quietly (engaging in a weird relationship with a random woman he meets in a doctor's office). He has stomach problems, family problems, money issues, and of course, the pressure of being the son of such a complicated man. Ferron's father is still a legacy of his politically connected friends, and Ferron is expected to reflect his father back at them for their own memories. When you look back at the huge scope of pressures Ferron is facing you can forgive him for being somewhat self-centered and wishy-washy. Sometimes when life is hard we just can't decide to do anything.
I am thrilled Kwame Dawes has written a novel, since I have always admired his poetry. I ended up liking this book a lot, even though it felt like a chore to read it.
August 4, 2019
This is a beautifully written book about a young man in 1980's Jamaica who is mourning the death of his father, who may or may not have been a victim of political assassination. The author leaves a lot of room for interpretation by the reader as to what is going on, but the approach worked well for me. Poetic and moving.
March 19, 2019
Bivouac begins with Ferron Morgan driving his father’s body in the back seat of a car to funeral home, his stomach is upset by anxiety, some of it due to grief and some to a strange white Toyota following him. The narrative of the story continues to follow Ferron for some time, while he haphazardly explores why his father died and even more haphazardly pursues relationships with three women. There are interstitial excerpts from his radical father’s writing that seem to be from his last days.
One explanation for his father’s death is medical malpractice, a treatment error at the ER after his fall. Another is murder, advanced by his brother and his father’s good friend Feti. The third explanation is suicide, an idea floated by none other than his father and his mother who says his father has been dead for three years–the living death of irrelevance. In a way, it seems that the women, Delores, Mitzie, and Theresa, could be seen as representative of these three options. Delores is so practical she could be the malpractice. Theresa could be the romanticized conspiracy of murder and betrayal. Mitzie could be the choice of ending it all.
But then I wonder if the women represent the choices Jamaica must make, not just Ferron. Delores is the capitalist, rightist turn that led to his father’s despair. The rape that precedes the novel would be very much a reflection of the role of choosing American capitalism and the economic rape that follows. Theresa could represent the hope of African Internationalism with her link to Feti, the ambassador. Mitzie could the true Jamaican choice, the choice of reggae and liberation, making their own way free of the judgment and influence of the capitalist West or the African revolutionaries.
The reason I look for meaning in Ferron’s three relationships beyond the obvious is Bivouac has that kind of rich and luxurious writing that makes you believe there is a purpose to every element of the story. There are three women, three explanations of his father’s death, and three Jamaicas. This seems purposeful.
The book ends with a hallucinatory final chapter with Ferron hearing the beat of Burning Spear, the reggae artist and Africa Internationalist, while visiting his ancestral home and ancestors. It’s more like a play than a narrative, or perhaps a song with pieces sung by different characters, even a bus conductor. It’s wild and poetic and a fitting way to conclude a story that is rich in questions and sparing with answers.
Bivouac will be released on April 2nd. I received an ARC from the publisher through LibraryThing.
Bivouac at Akashic Books
Kwame Dawes author site
★★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
One explanation for his father’s death is medical malpractice, a treatment error at the ER after his fall. Another is murder, advanced by his brother and his father’s good friend Feti. The third explanation is suicide, an idea floated by none other than his father and his mother who says his father has been dead for three years–the living death of irrelevance. In a way, it seems that the women, Delores, Mitzie, and Theresa, could be seen as representative of these three options. Delores is so practical she could be the malpractice. Theresa could be the romanticized conspiracy of murder and betrayal. Mitzie could be the choice of ending it all.
But then I wonder if the women represent the choices Jamaica must make, not just Ferron. Delores is the capitalist, rightist turn that led to his father’s despair. The rape that precedes the novel would be very much a reflection of the role of choosing American capitalism and the economic rape that follows. Theresa could represent the hope of African Internationalism with her link to Feti, the ambassador. Mitzie could the true Jamaican choice, the choice of reggae and liberation, making their own way free of the judgment and influence of the capitalist West or the African revolutionaries.
The reason I look for meaning in Ferron’s three relationships beyond the obvious is Bivouac has that kind of rich and luxurious writing that makes you believe there is a purpose to every element of the story. There are three women, three explanations of his father’s death, and three Jamaicas. This seems purposeful.
The book ends with a hallucinatory final chapter with Ferron hearing the beat of Burning Spear, the reggae artist and Africa Internationalist, while visiting his ancestral home and ancestors. It’s more like a play than a narrative, or perhaps a song with pieces sung by different characters, even a bus conductor. It’s wild and poetic and a fitting way to conclude a story that is rich in questions and sparing with answers.
Bivouac will be released on April 2nd. I received an ARC from the publisher through LibraryThing.
Bivouac at Akashic Books
Kwame Dawes author site
★★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
March 22, 2019
BIVOUAC by Kwame Dawes is a new release by Akashic Books.
Kwame Dawes is the “author of 21 books of poetry and other books of fiction, criticism and essays. He is series director of the African Poetry Book Series”.
I received this ARC (Advance Reading Copy) from Akashic Books in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
“When Ferron Morgan’s father (George Ferron Morgan) dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma is exacerbated by the conflict within his family and among his father’s friends over whether the death was the result of medical negligence or if it was a political assassination. Ferron grew up in awe of his father’s radical political endeavors, but in later years watched as the resurgence of the political right in the Caribbean in the 1980s robbed the man of his faith.”
“He begins to investigate the direction of his life with great intensity, in particular his instinct to keep moving on and running from trouble.” (Akashic Books Press Kit)
Many chapters are preceded by the ‘Unpublished Notes of George Ferron Morgan’. I don’t have a sense of the ‘history’ that the author (Mr. Dawes) is writing about - the politics of the Caribbean, in general, and Jamaica, in particular. I can’t form a judgement whether George Ferron Morgan was an important, respected revolutionary of sorts, or just a complaining, arrogant politico wannabe. The lack of information, the lack of background confused me and made it hard to decide if if he was, indeed, murdered, or if he simply fell down the stairs.
Our main character, Ferron Morgan - I can’t understand this guy. He seems consumed by inertia. He lives as if in a trance. He is very robotic - rarely responding to stimuli. He seems to choose his deep emotions like a kid choosing an ice cream flavor - what’s the special today?
I would describe Ferron as depressed (and depressing), fatalistic, narcissistic, furtive, selfish and cowardly. He is also grief-stricken and traumatized, I feel no relationship with him at all and I don’t like him much, either.
He is riddled with guilt, yet does not try to rise above it and is then filled with self-loathing.
I did have trouble with the patois. It was hard to understand. But, of course, it provided a sense of place and context for the story.
Mr. Dawes’ prose was lovely - insightful, flowing, descriptive. I did like ‘reading’ the book. His descriptions of the air, the heat, the sun, the dark night - I felt such a strong sense of being in the present in this place.
I am glad to have read this book by Kwame Dawes. It left me pondering many emotional questions.
Kwame Dawes is the “author of 21 books of poetry and other books of fiction, criticism and essays. He is series director of the African Poetry Book Series”.
I received this ARC (Advance Reading Copy) from Akashic Books in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
“When Ferron Morgan’s father (George Ferron Morgan) dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma is exacerbated by the conflict within his family and among his father’s friends over whether the death was the result of medical negligence or if it was a political assassination. Ferron grew up in awe of his father’s radical political endeavors, but in later years watched as the resurgence of the political right in the Caribbean in the 1980s robbed the man of his faith.”
“He begins to investigate the direction of his life with great intensity, in particular his instinct to keep moving on and running from trouble.” (Akashic Books Press Kit)
Many chapters are preceded by the ‘Unpublished Notes of George Ferron Morgan’. I don’t have a sense of the ‘history’ that the author (Mr. Dawes) is writing about - the politics of the Caribbean, in general, and Jamaica, in particular. I can’t form a judgement whether George Ferron Morgan was an important, respected revolutionary of sorts, or just a complaining, arrogant politico wannabe. The lack of information, the lack of background confused me and made it hard to decide if if he was, indeed, murdered, or if he simply fell down the stairs.
Our main character, Ferron Morgan - I can’t understand this guy. He seems consumed by inertia. He lives as if in a trance. He is very robotic - rarely responding to stimuli. He seems to choose his deep emotions like a kid choosing an ice cream flavor - what’s the special today?
I would describe Ferron as depressed (and depressing), fatalistic, narcissistic, furtive, selfish and cowardly. He is also grief-stricken and traumatized, I feel no relationship with him at all and I don’t like him much, either.
He is riddled with guilt, yet does not try to rise above it and is then filled with self-loathing.
I did have trouble with the patois. It was hard to understand. But, of course, it provided a sense of place and context for the story.
Mr. Dawes’ prose was lovely - insightful, flowing, descriptive. I did like ‘reading’ the book. His descriptions of the air, the heat, the sun, the dark night - I felt such a strong sense of being in the present in this place.
I am glad to have read this book by Kwame Dawes. It left me pondering many emotional questions.
July 29, 2019
Set in Jamaica in the 1980’s this is a story of upheaval.
It begins with our protagonist, Ferron, transporting his father’s body to a funeral home. It’s unclear how he died – an accident, a medical mistake, or murder from the right wing party currently in power with a hit list against the former left wing politicians whom Ferron’s father was one.
Ferron is also struggling as a victim of an assault of his own. He was beaten and his fiancé, whom he was unable to protect, was taken away and raped. Ferron finds his guilt prevents him from giving his fiancé the support she needs. Was this another political assault or a random event?
I enjoyed the portrait of Jamaica and thought the characterizations were good.
But I found the audio confusing. The story jumps backward and forward in time; many of the chapters begin with writings from Ferron’s father’s journal.
I actually listened to this book twice to try to make better sense of it and the second time through did make it clearer. Perhaps this is one that works better in print than in audio.
3 stars.
I received a copy of the audiobook through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program in exchange for an unbiased review.
It begins with our protagonist, Ferron, transporting his father’s body to a funeral home. It’s unclear how he died – an accident, a medical mistake, or murder from the right wing party currently in power with a hit list against the former left wing politicians whom Ferron’s father was one.
Ferron is also struggling as a victim of an assault of his own. He was beaten and his fiancé, whom he was unable to protect, was taken away and raped. Ferron finds his guilt prevents him from giving his fiancé the support she needs. Was this another political assault or a random event?
I enjoyed the portrait of Jamaica and thought the characterizations were good.
But I found the audio confusing. The story jumps backward and forward in time; many of the chapters begin with writings from Ferron’s father’s journal.
I actually listened to this book twice to try to make better sense of it and the second time through did make it clearer. Perhaps this is one that works better in print than in audio.
3 stars.
I received a copy of the audiobook through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 3, 2019
my hopes for this book was that it would interest me from the start. it did not. but that is not to say that the book is uninteresting, no. it is very slow to get started. ferron is in mourning after his dad's death and he is also about to be caught between two women. there are a whole host of characters and that is truly all i can say about this book as i am part way through it. hopefully something will happen that catches me. as for now, it is a good read for a day when nothing else is going on, no disrespect to the writer.
July 11, 2020
This was an accidental acquisition in that I was looking to get a poetry book but"Bivouac" is, in fact, a novel. What a happy mistake! Dawes is just as skillful at fiction as verse and his story -- about a son who never quite steps outside the shadow of his once-radical father (even after the latter's death) -- is a captivating snapshot of Jamaican politics, evaporated dreams, and the disconnect between the sexes. Appropriately, the verb "Bivouac" means "to stay in a temporary camp without cover." Sounds about right when applied here.
March 28, 2025
Kwame Dawes is primarily a poet, I think, and there are some novels written by poets that just kind of move with no discernible form and kind of shread under scrutiny, but this was not one! Beautiful book, deeply sad. So much in here about loss and mourning, and trying to sort out your relationship with someone after they've passed. The main character was not pure, and well-written. He seemed real - the psychic explanations for losing feeling for Dolores and falling in with Mitzie were not simple, they were thorough.
July 31, 2019
I liked the middle of this book. Starting it was rough and the last quarter of it was so different from the rest of the book that I thought I had started an excerpt for a different book by the author. The writing is solid and it is an interesting look at the politics of Jamaica and the impact that has on people's lives.
December 27, 2019
I did not like this book. From the beginning to the end it was stilted. I never got to know Ferron but then again, he never knew himself either. The genesis of the family was also confusing for me. The book ended long before the pages ran out. Overall, the book did not hit its intended mark, whatever that should have been.
April 22, 2019
Review: Bivouac by Kwame Dawes.
This is an Early Reviewers book. The setting of the story is Jamaica and the author seems knowledgeable about the area, lives of many people, cultures, and the political scenes. The author seems to write with a series of narratives, stories, poems, letters, essays, and much more. Dawes writes about a specific time in Jamaica with character traits close to the people he associates with. The contents of the story are something the author has always wanted to write about which covers a specific time span of his life. Dawes states that the story is emotionally logical with how he seen the world was affecting him in the 1980’s.
In the 1980’s throughout a political mayhem in Jamaica, Ferron discovers his father’s past existence and downfall after he died. Ferron’s father George was seen as a radical who failed as a conformist dominating power to his fullest and he was seen as a danger. Ferron had many questions about his father’s death. Ferron was tormented by grief, and frustrated not knowing if his father’s death was a result of a medical negligence or a political assassination. Ferron was also traumatized by the death of his fiancée and felt guilty because he did not protect her from a brutal assault.
Ferron wasn’t sure which path he wanted to take at this time in his life. He had two choices, one was to keep going in the direction he was or running from issues. Farron was a depressing person throughout the story he always seems to be consumed by self-loathing and inactive to any change. I was entertained by the book but at times I didn’t know how to accept Ferron’s issues. The story states that Ferron was in awe with his father’s political work but he had no interest to follow in his father’s footsteps.
This is an Early Reviewers book. The setting of the story is Jamaica and the author seems knowledgeable about the area, lives of many people, cultures, and the political scenes. The author seems to write with a series of narratives, stories, poems, letters, essays, and much more. Dawes writes about a specific time in Jamaica with character traits close to the people he associates with. The contents of the story are something the author has always wanted to write about which covers a specific time span of his life. Dawes states that the story is emotionally logical with how he seen the world was affecting him in the 1980’s.
In the 1980’s throughout a political mayhem in Jamaica, Ferron discovers his father’s past existence and downfall after he died. Ferron’s father George was seen as a radical who failed as a conformist dominating power to his fullest and he was seen as a danger. Ferron had many questions about his father’s death. Ferron was tormented by grief, and frustrated not knowing if his father’s death was a result of a medical negligence or a political assassination. Ferron was also traumatized by the death of his fiancée and felt guilty because he did not protect her from a brutal assault.
Ferron wasn’t sure which path he wanted to take at this time in his life. He had two choices, one was to keep going in the direction he was or running from issues. Farron was a depressing person throughout the story he always seems to be consumed by self-loathing and inactive to any change. I was entertained by the book but at times I didn’t know how to accept Ferron’s issues. The story states that Ferron was in awe with his father’s political work but he had no interest to follow in his father’s footsteps.
August 23, 2019
A wonderful portrayal of a father's passing and it's impact on his son.
I won an audio version of this book.
I won an audio version of this book.
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September 13, 2019yuch
August 7, 2023
2.5 stars. The first half was meditative and poetic but the last few chapters…. not for me. Unnecessarily cryptic, didn’t get the point across.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews