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Black Midas
Astonishingly vivid, bawdy, and tempestuous, this novel is a cautionary tale about greed and class conflict in postcolonial Guyana. Comparing ruthless 20th-century prospectors to the long-ago Spanish explorers who raped a continent in their quest for El Dorado, the novel follows the dreams and delusions of Aron Smart, a youth orphaned early in life and brought up on a farm by his grandparents who impressed upon him the value of an education. When Aron’s schooling is cut short after a reversal of fortune, however, he becomes deeply discouraged by his lack of opportunity and decides to follow in his father’s footsteps as a diamond prospector. He quickly becomes very rich—his companions in the mines call him “Shark”—and he is determined to use his new wealth to buy his way into the middle class. But Aron is out of his element in the world of property and prestige, and, cheated of his fortune, he returns to the interior, mining with a reckless madness that leaves him terribly maimed in an accident—and causes him to dream of returning to his grandfather’s life, built on the solid rhythms of farming and caring for the land.
- GenresFiction
272 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2009
36 people are currently reading
501 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 12, 2018
Black Midas By Jan Carew.
It is a very educational novel. For Guyanese students in the secondary third form department it will help us in our project. 👍
It is one of my favourite novels because it is a narrative novel.
People may not understand who is the protagonist, but the protagonist is Aron Smart (aka Ocean Shark, King Of Diamonds)👌
It is a very educational novel. For Guyanese students in the secondary third form department it will help us in our project. 👍
It is one of my favourite novels because it is a narrative novel.
People may not understand who is the protagonist, but the protagonist is Aron Smart (aka Ocean Shark, King Of Diamonds)👌
January 13, 2013
What an amazing read! On my search to find novels set in the Guyana, I first found the wonderful "Shadows Move Among Them", by Edgar Mittelholzer, and later I found Jan Carew's debut novel "Black Midas". At first, I was reluctant to read it. I thought it would be one of those historical novels that students are asked to read at school and that are filled with facts whose only purpose to teach you a class. However, this books does an amazing job at being historical and entertaining throughout its 250 pages without even intending to do so.
"Black Midas" is the story of Aron Smart, the son of a legendary diamond and gold prospector. The first part of the book is your typical coming of age story, where Aron discovers the gift of reading and studying, as well as the pleasures of the flesh. However, afterwards, Jan Carew introduces us into the adult life of Aron, his rise and fall, and the Guyanese culture of the time: The two Guyanas of both the coast and the jungle, the villages and Georgetown. Not for a moment the novel seems didactic or educational, which was my initial fear. In a writing style that flows like the Essequibo River, Jan Carew tells the story not only of Aron Smart, but also of all those that he meets throughout his life, who help him and betray him, who love him and hate him, and who, in the end, made up the Guyana of back then.
Most of the dialogues are in Guyanese English, but the narration is in rich and fluent standard English. The novel is a real page turner, which, at the same time, makes you want to stop and ponder about what you have just read, and sometimes, even reread parts of it in order to enjoy them again. The story of the man who goes to the top of the mountain, which is first narrated in the middle and closes the book, is the epitome of life. This is one of those novels that you never want to put it down but, at the same time, you don't want it to finish, because you know that books with these characteristics are rare.
We often hear about these famous authors from South America, like Márquez and Allende, but, for some reason, writers and novels like Jan Carew's "Black Midas", and Mittelholzer's "Shadows Move Among Them", remain forgotten in spite of coming also from South America. This novel was first published in 1958 and became out of print until the Peepal Tree Press reissued it in 2009. However, there are no reviews of it anywhere on the Internet, which indicates that its revival has gone unnoticed.
Reading "Black Midas", as well as reading Mittelholzer's "Shadows Move Among Them", felt like discovering a treasure. A gem that almost makes you happy that you are one of the few who have discovered it, but that at the same time makes you wonder why they do not have the recognition that they truly deserve, like "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "The House of the Spirits".
"Black Midas" is the story of Aron Smart, the son of a legendary diamond and gold prospector. The first part of the book is your typical coming of age story, where Aron discovers the gift of reading and studying, as well as the pleasures of the flesh. However, afterwards, Jan Carew introduces us into the adult life of Aron, his rise and fall, and the Guyanese culture of the time: The two Guyanas of both the coast and the jungle, the villages and Georgetown. Not for a moment the novel seems didactic or educational, which was my initial fear. In a writing style that flows like the Essequibo River, Jan Carew tells the story not only of Aron Smart, but also of all those that he meets throughout his life, who help him and betray him, who love him and hate him, and who, in the end, made up the Guyana of back then.
Most of the dialogues are in Guyanese English, but the narration is in rich and fluent standard English. The novel is a real page turner, which, at the same time, makes you want to stop and ponder about what you have just read, and sometimes, even reread parts of it in order to enjoy them again. The story of the man who goes to the top of the mountain, which is first narrated in the middle and closes the book, is the epitome of life. This is one of those novels that you never want to put it down but, at the same time, you don't want it to finish, because you know that books with these characteristics are rare.
We often hear about these famous authors from South America, like Márquez and Allende, but, for some reason, writers and novels like Jan Carew's "Black Midas", and Mittelholzer's "Shadows Move Among Them", remain forgotten in spite of coming also from South America. This novel was first published in 1958 and became out of print until the Peepal Tree Press reissued it in 2009. However, there are no reviews of it anywhere on the Internet, which indicates that its revival has gone unnoticed.
Reading "Black Midas", as well as reading Mittelholzer's "Shadows Move Among Them", felt like discovering a treasure. A gem that almost makes you happy that you are one of the few who have discovered it, but that at the same time makes you wonder why they do not have the recognition that they truly deserve, like "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "The House of the Spirits".
February 12, 2015
Not as masterful as Carew’s later novel The Wild Coast, this is still an excellent work, with a well-paced plot, richly drawn characters and sparkling dialogue – clearly Carew’s hallmarks. The quality of the writing is apparent from the first page, and with Carew you get the sense that as a reader, you are in the hands of a real writer, who will neither insult your intelligence nor let your suspense of disbelief down with crass and predictable machinations. He is a ‘real’ writer, and he qualifies for this not because he has fought wars, or dug for gold with his bare hands, or suffered great tragedy and loss and lived to write about it – but because he has taken time to attempt to understand the human spirit, the human mind, however you wish to qualify this most puzzling of enigmas.
Modern pot-boiling novels that make absolutely no attempt to do this, but merely seek to entertain the reader and reduce them to a child-like state – is that the spell under which, as a reader, you wish to be cast? Is that the dullness by which you wish to have your mind seduced? If you are ready for the next step, you would do well to start here.
Joseph Smith
josephsmithauthor.com
Modern pot-boiling novels that make absolutely no attempt to do this, but merely seek to entertain the reader and reduce them to a child-like state – is that the spell under which, as a reader, you wish to be cast? Is that the dullness by which you wish to have your mind seduced? If you are ready for the next step, you would do well to start here.
Joseph Smith
josephsmithauthor.com
April 17, 2018
This is best book I ever read
December 10, 2011
This was a school text, I think. I remember Miss Inalsingh reading aloud from it.
Read
January 3, 2022Black Midas. A great coming together of post-colonial cultural fragmentation, the belief of a Midas touch especially in the non-white, non-colonial peoples. What a march through emotions! A mixture of characters who were unscrupulous, conniving, kind, criminal - but all with a dream of immense riches, yet embodied in the words, “How is it that you come back and you en’t bring no wondrous thing to show we? How is it?... How is it? (Black Midas, 19, 265-266)”
Black Midas is a book about "pork-knockers" in Guyana, the hunt for diamond and gold using very basic tools; the tragic and fatal accidents that take place and the raw exposure of human emotions in the face of loss of wealth and life. A must-read.
Black Midas is a book about "pork-knockers" in Guyana, the hunt for diamond and gold using very basic tools; the tragic and fatal accidents that take place and the raw exposure of human emotions in the face of loss of wealth and life. A must-read.
February 7, 2024
What an Animal Farm book. Following the main character as he interacts with his various employers hints toward his outcome. It goes to show that you need experience to navigate well through life; regardless if it's personal experience or maneuvering through the experiences of another.
It was nice sitting with this book and a map of Guyana to learn of the many places mentioned. The book came to life as I envisioned crossing the many rivers.
It was nice sitting with this book and a map of Guyana to learn of the many places mentioned. The book came to life as I envisioned crossing the many rivers.
August 13, 2017
Enjoyed this book immensely
April 27, 2018
Who is the protagonist of the story
January 7, 2021
A compelling novel about sacrifice and the fickleness of wealth. I really enjoyed this one!!!
September 22, 2012
RECOMMENDED BY MY LITERATURE TEACHER
The back of this book stated the event which were to happen so I was a bit worried that I'd know what was going to happen but I was greatly mistaken.
I found this book really interesting and I finished it rather quickly because of it's length. Many people who read this mostly did it because it is one of the books schools buy. So anyway, when I started the book I didn't know what to expect. The conversations in the story was mostly in Guyanese slang but it is quite understandable. The story is told from the point of view of a young boy named Aron Smart and he develops from a ignorant but hard working boy to a man who has much wisdom. He goes through so many experiences that would kill a regular person but he lives through it and this is one of the characteristics of the character that makes you enjoy reading from his point of view.
There are people that you will love and hate. I love how Jan Carew develops these characters using such a simple method. The vocabulary used is also quite simple and to make things easier there is a glossary at the back of the book which shows the meaning of the words in the book that might be unfamiliar with "non-Guyanese" readers.
I was bored and wanted to put down the book only for 8 pages (which I can't really recall which part) in the entire book. I would recommend this to people who haven't read a Caribbean author's book. This is a good start.
The back of this book stated the event which were to happen so I was a bit worried that I'd know what was going to happen but I was greatly mistaken.
I found this book really interesting and I finished it rather quickly because of it's length. Many people who read this mostly did it because it is one of the books schools buy. So anyway, when I started the book I didn't know what to expect. The conversations in the story was mostly in Guyanese slang but it is quite understandable. The story is told from the point of view of a young boy named Aron Smart and he develops from a ignorant but hard working boy to a man who has much wisdom. He goes through so many experiences that would kill a regular person but he lives through it and this is one of the characteristics of the character that makes you enjoy reading from his point of view.
There are people that you will love and hate. I love how Jan Carew develops these characters using such a simple method. The vocabulary used is also quite simple and to make things easier there is a glossary at the back of the book which shows the meaning of the words in the book that might be unfamiliar with "non-Guyanese" readers.
I was bored and wanted to put down the book only for 8 pages (which I can't really recall which part) in the entire book. I would recommend this to people who haven't read a Caribbean author's book. This is a good start.
February 17, 2013
I am currently exploring novels from my mother's home country of Guyana. This is a roaming book that explores the villages, towns and city of Guyana. Jon Smart seems to be a man who represents the different ways of existing in each of these settings. But it seems his slightly detached soul is most connected when in the jungle. Connected to the people around him as well as the land he makes his fortune from and well as makes himself 'King'.
I poetic book with sections and descriptions I had to re read in order to understand and penetrate the images it portrays. a great book with characters who have lingered with me like Bullah and Tanta Moore. A really great book that provides an insight to this wonderful country.
September 5, 2015
Wonderful novel. Some beautiful prose. Convincing on the life of pork-knockers, now and then.
January 8, 2017
ისტორია ალმასისა და ოქროს საბადოების "გასაძარცვად" წასულ ბედისმაძიებლებზე,
სიმდიდრის ციებ-ცხელებას ატანილ ახალგაზრდებზე,რომლებიც შურმა,სიხარბემ და გამდიდრების წყურვილმა შეიპყრო.
ავიდა მთის მწერვალზე არონი,მერე კი დაეცა : "როცა ხელ���სგული გააშლევინეს,არაფერი აღმოაჩნდა ჭაბუკს.გაკვრივებული ეკითხებოდა ხალხი აქეთ-იქიდან: ეს როგორ , დაბრუნდი და საკვირველი არაფერი ჩამოგვიტანე?..ეს როგორ მოხდა? როგორ?..როგორ?.."
საოცრად კარგი წიგნია,შინაარსს კი ერთიორად ამდიდრებს იან კერიუს საინტერესო წერის სტილი და ულამაზესი ენა ^ მოკლედ,ძალიან ვისიამოვნე^
პ.ს.ამხელა აღწერას იმსახურებს ეს წიგნი,მითუმეტეს,როცა არც ისე ცნობილია ქართველი გუდრიდსელებისთვის.^^
სიმდიდრის ციებ-ცხელებას ატანილ ახალგაზრდებზე,რომლებიც შურმა,სიხარბემ და გამდიდრების წყურვილმა შეიპყრო.
ავიდა მთის მწერვალზე არონი,მერე კი დაეცა : "როცა ხელ���სგული გააშლევინეს,არაფერი აღმოაჩნდა ჭაბუკს.გაკვრივებული ეკითხებოდა ხალხი აქეთ-იქიდან: ეს როგორ , დაბრუნდი და საკვირველი არაფერი ჩამოგვიტანე?..ეს როგორ მოხდა? როგორ?..როგორ?.."
საოცრად კარგი წიგნია,შინაარსს კი ერთიორად ამდიდრებს იან კერიუს საინტერესო წერის სტილი და ულამაზესი ენა ^ მოკლედ,ძალიან ვისიამოვნე^
პ.ს.ამხელა აღწერას იმსახურებს ეს წიგნი,მითუმეტეს,როცა არც ისე ცნობილია ქართველი გუდრიდსელებისთვის.^^
Want to read
February 27, 2018l did not get to read the book
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews