Bellybutton: The Source Of My Strength

by Daniel Felix

Being born premature was Danny’s first battle. Against all the odds, he clung on to life with every heartbeat. Delivered from the safety of his mother’s womb into the arms of a sinful world. Through a small hole in his incubator, his mum would reach out to touch his tiny, undeveloped hands. For weeks this would be there only contact and through this and his will to survive, Danny and his mother established a beautiful bond. Raised in a typical West Indian family in the heart of the East London. His mum who can best be described as a God fearing, Catholic woman, first introduced Danny to God, through daily bible teachings. Though he knew of God, he never had a relationship or ever felt the need to call upon his name. From humble beginnings, he soon earned his stripes through to adulthood, becoming a loving husband and devoted father. Danny had all that he needed, the house, the car, decent job. He was content with the cards; life had dealt him, until… Now there was a day that Satan (the adversary) appeared before God in heaven and challenges God that if given permission to punish the man, he will turn and curse God to his face. Following the sudden death of his beloved mother, all that Danny had loved and cared for was taken from him. Losing himself in his mourning, he then declared war by cursing the world and everything in it, including himself. Abandoning his faith, he turned his back on his creator, slipping into a sea of darkness, shadowed by sex, drugs & alcohol, all that his flesh desired. Struggling to accept his circumstances, he reached out to the spirit of his mother for comfort, only to find something dark and sinister. Falling to his knees, for the first time in his life, Danny cried out to the LORD.

341 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2020

Reviews

[Matt McAvoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are numerous reasons why people write books, though generally this infinite number falls within three general categories: pure creative expression; to inform the reader; or, for the author’s own therapy. This appears to have been written predominantly for the latter reason – with perhaps a hint of the second. Just how much of this memoir is true is not clear to me; at the risk of causing offence, I got the impression there was a lot of fantasy on the part of Felix, and I suspect a fair share of projection. His explanation of his many relationships, revolving mainly around that with his daughter, is vastly detailed, but despite this, any self-analysis seems to be little more than superficial. Instead, this extremely long journal doesn’t really delve into any profoundness, but rather just outlines the protagonist’s leisurely escapades and personal life. Most of the final chapter is devoted to Felix’s faith and the scriptures, though this is more by way of explanation than any expression of repentance – don’t get me wrong, it is entirely the business of the author how he lives his life and perceives the events within it, but without any indication of absolution, other than Felix himself, I’m not entirely clear who this book is for.

I’ll be honest, while Felix is a good writer, with an engaging style, his book wasn’t my cup of tea. It did feel a little like being subjected to someone’s life through only their own version of events. I wouldn’t consider it entertainment as such, and it is a good deal longer than I would normally read, considering the genre. I’m also not a fan of the vernacular; despite my own London background, I often find the cocky Cockney narrative a little cringeworthy, and usually a touch crass with the unnecessary cursing. In this particular book, I found the West Indian lingo a little more interesting, but this too did seem somewhat betrayed by the author’s obviously smart grammatical aptitude. That said, on a more practical and perhaps slightly digressing note, this book does need a lot of editing work.

To be frank, faith books are not really my bag, and this one isn’t for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s a good read, and I’m sure it has its appeal; no doubt there will be those who find the Christian aspect inspiring. I would propose it be trimmed down slightly and cleaned up, with perhaps more focus on the faith than the playboy lifestyle, but that’s just my thought. Nevertheless, I wish the author well, and that he achieves what he hopes to with the book.

[Jennifer Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow

There was smiles, belly laughter, tears and reflection. This book is worth reading. It had be gripped from start to finish.

[Jenny Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bellybutton: The Source of My Strength by Daniel Felix is an autobiographical account of the West Indian’s life in East London. It begins with an imaginative view of his conception and birth. As the book continues we meet his mother and father. His mother is a God-fearing Catholic woman and a firm disciplinarian. She did not spare the rod, though it appears she may have hit hard enough to knock her children unconscious from time to time. His father would sometimes hit the bottle a little hard after work, enjoyed gambling and watching cricket. He also did not spare the rod when he was interrupted. We also meet his sister Leah, his brother Tyboy, and his other brother Dave. Tyboy seems to have been left mentally disabled after an epileptic fit. Leah and Daniel remain close throughout his story.

Many friends come and go through Daniel’s life including HT, Country, and Myersville. His friends invited him to party with music, drugs, alcohol and sometimes women. The partying would go to the wee hours of the morning. Daniel and his friends would often hook up with women during these parties. A woman named Pam eventually became his wife and together they had a baby. Sadly, Daniel seemed to enjoy the partying life more than staying home.

The writing style of this autobiography is very raw and unpolished. The dialect is difficult to understand at times which can add to the authenticity, but can also make the read more challenging. There is a lot of language, drug abuse, heavy drinking involving hard liquor and a couple of sex scenes. Often it seems Daniel and his friends are driving while intoxicated. Interspersed throughout his story, Daniel quotes various scriptures from the Bible. Perhaps in retrospect he saw the spiritual warfare in his life and choices.

This was an interesting read both due to the subject matter and the dialect. It gave me a glimpse into a different culture, a different way of life from my own. Because of the language, drug use and alcohol abuse I would recommend this to adults. Bellybutton is not for the easily offended. Since the writing comes across very unpolished, I rate this book four stars.