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The Wine of Astonishment
Earl Lovelace writes about the survival of a small community of Spiritual Baptists with a lyricism and understanding of dialogue which has established an international reputation.'If we clap we hands and catch the Spirit, the police could arrest us. One day we was Baptist, the next day we is criminals.' The Wine of Astonishment is a poignant and devastating tale of the discrimination the Black community of Bonasse faced during the first half of the 20th century. Told from the perspective of a religious wife, Eva retells the torment and tribulations her family and friends endure at the hands of abusive police and corrupt government officials. Hurtling towards its tragic climax, Bolo's transformation embodies the tragedy manifested when a people are pushed too far.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1982
35 people are currently reading
903 people want to read
About the author
Earl Lovelace
19 books93 followersNovelist, playwright and short-story writer Earl Lovelace was born in Toco, Trinidad in 1935 and grew up in Tobago. He worked for the Trinidad Guardian, then for the Department of Forestry and later as an agricultural assistant for the Department of Agriculture, gaining an intimate knowledge of rural Trinidad that has informed much of his fiction.
He studied in the United States at Howard University, Washington (1966-7) and received his MA in English from Johns Hopkins University in 1974. In 1980 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and spent that year at the University of Iowa. After teaching at a number of other American universities, Lovelace returned to Trinidad in 1982, where he now lives and writes, teaching at the University of the West Indies. A collection of his plays, Jestina's Calypso and Other Plays, was published in 1984.
His first novel, While Gods Are Falling, was published in 1965 and won the British Petroleum Independence Literary Award. It was followed by The Schoolmaster (1968), about the impact of the arrival of a new teacher in a remote community. His third novel, The Dragon Can't Dance (1979), regarded by many critics as his best work, describes the rejuvenating effects of carnival on the inhabitants of a slum on the outskirts of Port of Spain. In The Wine of Astonishment (1982) he examines popular religion through the story of a member of the Baptist Church in a rural village. His most recent novel, Salt, was published in 1996 and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book) in 1997. Set in Trinidad, the book explores the legacy of colonialism and slavery and the problems still faced by the country through the story of Alford George, a teacher turned politician.
He studied in the United States at Howard University, Washington (1966-7) and received his MA in English from Johns Hopkins University in 1974. In 1980 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and spent that year at the University of Iowa. After teaching at a number of other American universities, Lovelace returned to Trinidad in 1982, where he now lives and writes, teaching at the University of the West Indies. A collection of his plays, Jestina's Calypso and Other Plays, was published in 1984.
His first novel, While Gods Are Falling, was published in 1965 and won the British Petroleum Independence Literary Award. It was followed by The Schoolmaster (1968), about the impact of the arrival of a new teacher in a remote community. His third novel, The Dragon Can't Dance (1979), regarded by many critics as his best work, describes the rejuvenating effects of carnival on the inhabitants of a slum on the outskirts of Port of Spain. In The Wine of Astonishment (1982) he examines popular religion through the story of a member of the Baptist Church in a rural village. His most recent novel, Salt, was published in 1996 and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book) in 1997. Set in Trinidad, the book explores the legacy of colonialism and slavery and the problems still faced by the country through the story of Alford George, a teacher turned politician.
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May 25, 2025
This was my first book from celebrated Trinbagonian author, Earl Lovelace. At the recently concluded Bocas Literature Festival in Trinidad he was honored for his contribution to the literary world in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean region as a novelist, playwright, short story writer and journalist. Of note, Lovelace is one of the few internationally recognized Caribbean authors who has always been based in the region. Interestingly, I vaguely recollect studying this book in high school, and at the time struggling to understand it. On the second go it thankfully made a lot more sense to me!
The Wine of Astonishment is one of Lovelace's most renowned literary works, which tells the story of the Spiritual (Shouter) Baptist movement in Trinidad and its struggle against religious persecution on the island in the dying days of colonialism (c. 1950s). Told through the eyes of a female narrator, the wife of a Spiritual Baptist pastor, named Eva Dorcas, the Wine of Astonishment shines a spotlight on the tension between modern progress and traditional ways of life in rural Trinidad (such as stick fighting and working on plantations). Among the colorful cast of characters is Bolo, a down-on-his luck master stick fighter and Spiritual Baptist church member, who finds himself unable to adapt to and fit into rapidly modernizing Trinidad; Bee - the Spiritual Baptist pastor charged with leading his flock of followers through the vicissitudes of their persecution by Trinidadian authorities; and Ivan Morton, a former church member turned influential politician who the Spiritual Baptist community hopes will champion the ending of the ordinance banning them from worshipping freely.
What I enjoyed most about The Wine of Astonishment is Lovelace's masterful interweaving of dialect into the narration of the story. It gives the novel a very authentic 'Trini' feel. From the choice of words to the pattern in which they are expressed, there is an unmistakable thread of "Trininess" throughout the book. I also greatly appreciated the insightful social commentary that Lovelace makes on hot-button topics like racism, corruption, women's rights and oppression in Trinidad.
The Wine of Astonishment is arguably a good introduction to Trinbagonian literature. It is a short, compact read with moderate use of dialect, which perhaps makes it more accessible to a non-Caribbean reading audience.
Useful additional reading:
https://citizensforconservationtt.org...
https://visittrinidad.tt/
https://mscd.gov.tt/earl-lovelace/
https://unspokenspirituality.wordpres... (for more details on Spiritual 'Shouter' Baptists)
The Wine of Astonishment is one of Lovelace's most renowned literary works, which tells the story of the Spiritual (Shouter) Baptist movement in Trinidad and its struggle against religious persecution on the island in the dying days of colonialism (c. 1950s). Told through the eyes of a female narrator, the wife of a Spiritual Baptist pastor, named Eva Dorcas, the Wine of Astonishment shines a spotlight on the tension between modern progress and traditional ways of life in rural Trinidad (such as stick fighting and working on plantations). Among the colorful cast of characters is Bolo, a down-on-his luck master stick fighter and Spiritual Baptist church member, who finds himself unable to adapt to and fit into rapidly modernizing Trinidad; Bee - the Spiritual Baptist pastor charged with leading his flock of followers through the vicissitudes of their persecution by Trinidadian authorities; and Ivan Morton, a former church member turned influential politician who the Spiritual Baptist community hopes will champion the ending of the ordinance banning them from worshipping freely.
What I enjoyed most about The Wine of Astonishment is Lovelace's masterful interweaving of dialect into the narration of the story. It gives the novel a very authentic 'Trini' feel. From the choice of words to the pattern in which they are expressed, there is an unmistakable thread of "Trininess" throughout the book. I also greatly appreciated the insightful social commentary that Lovelace makes on hot-button topics like racism, corruption, women's rights and oppression in Trinidad.
The Wine of Astonishment is arguably a good introduction to Trinbagonian literature. It is a short, compact read with moderate use of dialect, which perhaps makes it more accessible to a non-Caribbean reading audience.
Useful additional reading:
https://citizensforconservationtt.org...
https://visittrinidad.tt/
https://mscd.gov.tt/earl-lovelace/
https://unspokenspirituality.wordpres... (for more details on Spiritual 'Shouter' Baptists)
May 30, 2008
Beautiful. One of the few books I've read where the main characters are poor, uneducated, and oppressed and yet granted a dignity and awareness by the author that is neither primitivizing nor patronizing.
July 8, 2018
Post-colonial lit is lit
September 18, 2007
at this point, lovelace has refined his craft. more succinct and subtle than the dragon can't dance, the wine of astonishment is an outstanding portrayal of the socio-political struggles of post-colonial culture. once again, humanity pervades lovelace's politics. this is a truly beautiful novel.
April 22, 2020
Kis, egzotikus országok írói rendszeresen bele szoktak esni abba a hibába, hogy népük szenvedését akarják bemutatni. De a népek szegénysége és elnyomása mindig ugyanaz, csak épp hol karibi, hol afrikai, hol kelet-európai köntösben, következésképpen unalmas – ami egyedi, az egyes ember szegénysége és elnyomása. Az ő sajátos válaszai, az ő fájdalma az, ami érdekes. És hát ezek az írók gyakran éppen őt felejtik ki a regényeikből.
Lovelace olyan kis és egzotikus országból érkezett – Trinidadból –, hogy annál kisebből és egzotikusabból érkezni szinte fizikai lehetetlenség. Mégsem esik bele ebbe a hibába – mert embereket alkot. Kezdve az elbeszélőn, Eván, akinek ízesen bibliás nyelve már első pillanattól megteremti azt az illúziót, hogy most valahol máshol (más térben és más időben) vagyunk. A konfliktus is túlmutat az egyszerű „gonosz fehér ember szívni fekete ember vérit” forgatókönyveken, több okból is. Egyrészt mert a szerző desztillálja a problémát – nem vész el egy absztrakt általános elnyomás részletei között, hanem az egészet abba a harcba sűríti, amit a falusi baptista közösség vív saját szabad vallásgyakorlatáért*. Másfelől a regény főszereplőinek igazán nincs is szükségük arra, hogy holmi sápatag européerek vegzálják őket, mert a vegzálást képesek megoldani saját közösségen belül is – tanulság, hogy nincs is szükség idegen elnyomókra, se keletiekre, se nyugatiakra, mert mindig akad a népen belül olyan, aki ostobaságból vagy haszonlesésből hajlandó véreit elnyomni helyettük.
Erős regény erős nyelvvel és erős szereplőgárdával arról, hogyan morzsolnák le a közösségről a tartást és a hagyományt, hogy aztán őket is felmorzsolják. Persze meglehet, mindezt meg lehetett volna írni a fonákjáról is: azok oldaláról, akiknek öröm, hogy kitörhetnek a hagyományból, mert unják már a klasszikus botharcot és nem elégíti ki őket a táncos-zenés istentisztelet mint a kultúra egyetlen helyi formája. Lehet, számukra elmenni a „nagyvárosba”, továbbtanulni vagy dolgozni a katonai bázisok vonzáskörzetében lehetőség, a társadalmi mobilitás megnyilvánulása. De Lovelace ezúttal nem róluk beszélt, hanem az eltűnőfélben lévőkről, az átalakulás veszteseiről. Mert nekik is van hangjuk. És ez az ő történetük.
* Valahol megható, hogy közösségi önképük központi eleme, a baptista vallás – aminek megtartásáért foggal-körömmel küzdenek – maga is angolszász import.
Lovelace olyan kis és egzotikus országból érkezett – Trinidadból –, hogy annál kisebből és egzotikusabból érkezni szinte fizikai lehetetlenség. Mégsem esik bele ebbe a hibába – mert embereket alkot. Kezdve az elbeszélőn, Eván, akinek ízesen bibliás nyelve már első pillanattól megteremti azt az illúziót, hogy most valahol máshol (más térben és más időben) vagyunk. A konfliktus is túlmutat az egyszerű „gonosz fehér ember szívni fekete ember vérit” forgatókönyveken, több okból is. Egyrészt mert a szerző desztillálja a problémát – nem vész el egy absztrakt általános elnyomás részletei között, hanem az egészet abba a harcba sűríti, amit a falusi baptista közösség vív saját szabad vallásgyakorlatáért*. Másfelől a regény főszereplőinek igazán nincs is szükségük arra, hogy holmi sápatag européerek vegzálják őket, mert a vegzálást képesek megoldani saját közösségen belül is – tanulság, hogy nincs is szükség idegen elnyomókra, se keletiekre, se nyugatiakra, mert mindig akad a népen belül olyan, aki ostobaságból vagy haszonlesésből hajlandó véreit elnyomni helyettük.
Erős regény erős nyelvvel és erős szereplőgárdával arról, hogyan morzsolnák le a közösségről a tartást és a hagyományt, hogy aztán őket is felmorzsolják. Persze meglehet, mindezt meg lehetett volna írni a fonákjáról is: azok oldaláról, akiknek öröm, hogy kitörhetnek a hagyományból, mert unják már a klasszikus botharcot és nem elégíti ki őket a táncos-zenés istentisztelet mint a kultúra egyetlen helyi formája. Lehet, számukra elmenni a „nagyvárosba”, továbbtanulni vagy dolgozni a katonai bázisok vonzáskörzetében lehetőség, a társadalmi mobilitás megnyilvánulása. De Lovelace ezúttal nem róluk beszélt, hanem az eltűnőfélben lévőkről, az átalakulás veszteseiről. Mert nekik is van hangjuk. És ez az ő történetük.
* Valahol megható, hogy közösségi önképük központi eleme, a baptista vallás – aminek megtartásáért foggal-körömmel küzdenek – maga is angolszász import.
June 12, 2021
I enjoyed the lyrical Trinidadian writing style and was fascinated to learn about the cultures of spiritual baptism and stick fighting in Trinidad. I also liked the range of underlying themes, such as loss of traditional values, power, politics and faith.
December 2, 2013
My thoughts:
• I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this book. It has been some time since I read a “Caribbean Classic” and I wondered how I missed this book as during the 80s and early 90s I was reading most of the books that were part of the Heinemann Caribbean Writers Series.
• This book was 146 pages and the author did a impressive job of telling the story of a small community and the challenges they faced in a recent post-colonial world, the “invasion” of American soldiers and how it affected (or maybe just accelerated) the transition the challenges of a modern more urban focused culture, and the challenge of violence vs patience (working through the approved process) for achieving equality goals.
• I thought this book did an excellent job of showing how there was a common goal to get rid of the yoke of colonialism and to have "freedom", but because each individual has/had their own definition of what "freedom" was and what was the path to freedom and how this "freedom" would be measured.
• I thought that the author was very clever to use a female narrator. Though I will admit at first I was a little miffed at the portrayal of female characters. But then I remembered the time when this book was published, the time period that this book is covering. As in most of the literature that covers a pre & post colonial experience women were very much involved and played key roles but were mostly not the front people that were allowed to represent the people. The females were/is the glue that often held it all together and I felt the narrator, Eva, played that role here. It has often been said because women are/were not given equal status to men, they are good at manipulation to get what they want.
• I also liked the history lesson about the Shouters prohibition Ordinance.
• Overall the lyrical language, great pacing, well-developed character sketches, and the thought provoking themes made this an excellent read for me.
• I highly recommend to readers interested in post-colonial experiences and those interested in current issues in post-colonial societies.
• I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this book. It has been some time since I read a “Caribbean Classic” and I wondered how I missed this book as during the 80s and early 90s I was reading most of the books that were part of the Heinemann Caribbean Writers Series.
• This book was 146 pages and the author did a impressive job of telling the story of a small community and the challenges they faced in a recent post-colonial world, the “invasion” of American soldiers and how it affected (or maybe just accelerated) the transition the challenges of a modern more urban focused culture, and the challenge of violence vs patience (working through the approved process) for achieving equality goals.
• I thought this book did an excellent job of showing how there was a common goal to get rid of the yoke of colonialism and to have "freedom", but because each individual has/had their own definition of what "freedom" was and what was the path to freedom and how this "freedom" would be measured.
• I thought that the author was very clever to use a female narrator. Though I will admit at first I was a little miffed at the portrayal of female characters. But then I remembered the time when this book was published, the time period that this book is covering. As in most of the literature that covers a pre & post colonial experience women were very much involved and played key roles but were mostly not the front people that were allowed to represent the people. The females were/is the glue that often held it all together and I felt the narrator, Eva, played that role here. It has often been said because women are/were not given equal status to men, they are good at manipulation to get what they want.
• I also liked the history lesson about the Shouters prohibition Ordinance.
• Overall the lyrical language, great pacing, well-developed character sketches, and the thought provoking themes made this an excellent read for me.
• I highly recommend to readers interested in post-colonial experiences and those interested in current issues in post-colonial societies.
June 2, 2022
"God don't give you more than you can bear, I say. 'Cause for hundreds of years we bearing what He send like the earth bear the hot sun and the rains and the dew and the cold, and like earth is still earth, still here for man to build house on and fall down on, still sending up shoots and flowers and growing things"
This classic Caribbean novel is a masterpiece. Set in the village of Bonasse in Trinidad and Tobago from 1932-1951, a small Spiritual/Shouter Baptist community faces state oppression and religious persecution. Eva, the narrator, and her husband, Bee, are a religious couple in Bonasse, who have faith in Ivan Morton, a newly elected minister from Bonasse, to change their situation. Then, we have Bolo, stickfighting warrior and hero in his community, who spends time in jail and comes back a terror to Bonasse.
Some major themes coming out of this postcolonial novel are women in society, racism, and religion. I thought a lot about the role of education and schooling and make a challenge to the point that education is inherently good. We see the educated folk in the book abandon their community to live like the "whiteman" and forget about their religion, yet we see that education is also a way of escaping the realities of poverty. So many thoughts on this.
With this re-read, I picked up on more of the subtleties that Lovelace interlaced into the narrative. I thought about why the narrator was a woman, when all the main characters were men.
Overall, one of my favorite pieces of literature. Lovelace has a lyricism like no other. A must-read if you're interested in books that deal with religion, race, class, power, and struggle.
This classic Caribbean novel is a masterpiece. Set in the village of Bonasse in Trinidad and Tobago from 1932-1951, a small Spiritual/Shouter Baptist community faces state oppression and religious persecution. Eva, the narrator, and her husband, Bee, are a religious couple in Bonasse, who have faith in Ivan Morton, a newly elected minister from Bonasse, to change their situation. Then, we have Bolo, stickfighting warrior and hero in his community, who spends time in jail and comes back a terror to Bonasse.
Some major themes coming out of this postcolonial novel are women in society, racism, and religion. I thought a lot about the role of education and schooling and make a challenge to the point that education is inherently good. We see the educated folk in the book abandon their community to live like the "whiteman" and forget about their religion, yet we see that education is also a way of escaping the realities of poverty. So many thoughts on this.
With this re-read, I picked up on more of the subtleties that Lovelace interlaced into the narrative. I thought about why the narrator was a woman, when all the main characters were men.
Overall, one of my favorite pieces of literature. Lovelace has a lyricism like no other. A must-read if you're interested in books that deal with religion, race, class, power, and struggle.
April 5, 2012
I was very pleased that I chose this book as my independent novel. The Wine of Astonishment brings the reader into close contact with different complicated characters to the point where the reader gains a better understanding of ethnic struggle and ethnic culture. Lovelace's use of ethnic dialogue, which in other works can be difficult to read, not only flowed exceptionally well, but brought an added level of authenticity to the work. Most importantly, Lovelace developed three particularly strong characters in Eva, Bee, and Bolo. I still am unsure of what to make of Bolo's character, but the use of Eva as a narrator works quite well given her status within the community and level of understanding of ethnic culture. This book was a quick read, but was able to convey deep meaning in a very short time.
“Then we turn the corner where Miss Hilda living, on a spot where a old house fall down, in the next yard there, with bamboo for posts and coconut branches for a roof, is a steel-band tent, and in this tent is the tent is the steel pans, and playing these pans is some young fellows, bare-back and with tear-up clothes, and it have two girls dancing to the music that they playing; but I not looking at the girls, I listening to the music,; for the music that those boys playing on the steelband have in it that same spirit that we miss in our church; the same spirit; and listening to them, my heart swell and it is like resurrection morning.”
The Wine of Astonishment p. 146
“Then we turn the corner where Miss Hilda living, on a spot where a old house fall down, in the next yard there, with bamboo for posts and coconut branches for a roof, is a steel-band tent, and in this tent is the tent is the steel pans, and playing these pans is some young fellows, bare-back and with tear-up clothes, and it have two girls dancing to the music that they playing; but I not looking at the girls, I listening to the music,; for the music that those boys playing on the steelband have in it that same spirit that we miss in our church; the same spirit; and listening to them, my heart swell and it is like resurrection morning.”
The Wine of Astonishment p. 146
March 10, 2024
Read this book because of my college ENG class. It was easier to understand the Praise Song of the Widow which also I read because of my college class.
June 14, 2019
I heard a song and I was singing:
'I never get weary yet
I never get weary yet
Forty long years I work in the fields
And I never get weary yet'
And my heart give a little skip as Bee join in, and the two of us was singing.
Lord, you make your people see hard things, you make us to drink the wine of astonishment. What to say? But it wasn't over yet; we had more wine to drink in the new year, for in the church that Sunday, rising like a spear out of the back row, with the rest of the congregation, to sing the first hymn, was Bolo.
December 28, 2015
Great writing - very poetic - a truly enjoyable read. However, for me the story-line could have been stronger, hence only 4 stars.
April 25, 2021
4.5 stars. The Wine of Astonishment is set in Trinidad around the time of WWII and deals heavily with the law that was in place that prevented Spiritual Baptists from worshiping as they saw fit -- other religions, both Christian and non-Christian were allowed, but not this one. Narrated by Eve Dorcas, the wife of the pastor of the Spiritual Baptist church, you see the impact of colonialism, the presence of American troops, and the lack of religious freedom on the village as well as on the daily lives of people. Lovelace did an incredible job with the voice of the narrator - it felt so true for lack of a better word. I knew nothing going into this book about Trinidadian history and the intro in the edition I had helped me establish some context for the events of the book.
When I picked this up, and even when I started, my perspective was that this would be more of a historical fiction read - I would learn about history I wasn't familiar with and get a glimpse into a culture that I hadn't read about or engaged with before. All of those things happened - Lovelace is an author I will definitely read more of. The book was published in 1982 --reading this today, the parallels to current events in the United States and the long reach of colonialism was evident. It's one of the signs of a great piece of literature when the truths that are explored are done in a way that you connect with them and engage with them both within the period that the author is writing about, and also see the universality of those truths and can connect them to experiences across time and place.
"But I know that this is not an easy thing for them to decide to do. And I don't mean that they are not brave. The men have to think about more than their bravery. They have to think about the church and how it going to live. They have to think about our children who we want to see grow big. Because once you start against the police, you have to continue. So I know is something they have to give proper consideration to; but even so, I agree with Sister Ruth when she say, 'But we talk to them already, and they never listen. What they want us to do?'"
When I picked this up, and even when I started, my perspective was that this would be more of a historical fiction read - I would learn about history I wasn't familiar with and get a glimpse into a culture that I hadn't read about or engaged with before. All of those things happened - Lovelace is an author I will definitely read more of. The book was published in 1982 --reading this today, the parallels to current events in the United States and the long reach of colonialism was evident. It's one of the signs of a great piece of literature when the truths that are explored are done in a way that you connect with them and engage with them both within the period that the author is writing about, and also see the universality of those truths and can connect them to experiences across time and place.
"But I know that this is not an easy thing for them to decide to do. And I don't mean that they are not brave. The men have to think about more than their bravery. They have to think about the church and how it going to live. They have to think about our children who we want to see grow big. Because once you start against the police, you have to continue. So I know is something they have to give proper consideration to; but even so, I agree with Sister Ruth when she say, 'But we talk to them already, and they never listen. What they want us to do?'"
December 14, 2025
Absolute brilliance!
I first read The Wine of Astonishment in secondary school while studying English Literature, and back then, we basically rushed through texts to complete the syllabus. On this occasion, I had the time and space to truly enjoy Lovelace's writing. The Wine of Astonishment is an exceptional foray into colonial life in Trinidad, a time when Spiritual Baptists were forbidden from practising their faith, and Lovelace is meticulous in tackling all the societal issues that contributed to or resulted from the banning of the Spiritual Baptist faith. He peels back the layers of colonial – and sadly, post-colonial Trinidad– showing the reader the power structures at play, the frequent betrayal of the masses by one of their own, the political convenience that is employed around elections, and the racial tensions that exist among people too caught up to realise that classism breeds racism to ensure that class and power structures perpetuate.
This is a must read!
It's also only 150 pages.
I first read The Wine of Astonishment in secondary school while studying English Literature, and back then, we basically rushed through texts to complete the syllabus. On this occasion, I had the time and space to truly enjoy Lovelace's writing. The Wine of Astonishment is an exceptional foray into colonial life in Trinidad, a time when Spiritual Baptists were forbidden from practising their faith, and Lovelace is meticulous in tackling all the societal issues that contributed to or resulted from the banning of the Spiritual Baptist faith. He peels back the layers of colonial – and sadly, post-colonial Trinidad– showing the reader the power structures at play, the frequent betrayal of the masses by one of their own, the political convenience that is employed around elections, and the racial tensions that exist among people too caught up to realise that classism breeds racism to ensure that class and power structures perpetuate.
This is a must read!
It's also only 150 pages.
May 16, 2023
something holy
Read
April 13, 2013The book is about Eva and Bee Dorcas, members of the Spiritual Baptist Church. It is about their experiences of being persecuted for their religious affiliation and the faith that they have in Ivan Morton to change their situation. The character Bolo is also at the forefront of this story because he embodies the result of not being able to be a man in a society that does not view being Black as valuable.
Chapter 1:
The readers are introduced to the narrator, Eva, and her husband Bee, along with three of their children: Joyce, Gem and Reggie. Reggie has failed his examination and the couple debates whether or not to ask Ivan Morton for help. It becomes apparent that the hope of the community rests on this young politician’s shoulders. He disappoints the community, however, when he does not support the Shouter Baptists. The reader is introduced to the budding relationship between Joyce and Clyde, as well as Bolo’s disappointment in the church’s apathy. The chapter ends with Reggie being placed in a high school after previously applying without his parents’ knowledge.
Chapter 2:
This chapter charts the changes in Bonasse and how it affects Bolo and Clem. Clem accepted and went with the flow, while Bolo just could not accept change and became disruptive. The banning of carnival, hence stick fighting, became a reality, and the change that Americans had on the cultural identity of the people was emphasized throughout this chapter.
Chapter 3:
The church plays a vital role in this chapter. The pride that is felt about its existence and perseverance is expressed by Eva. However, a law is passed that makes the church illegal, thereby forcing the members to plot to keep the church alive. The formulated a plan to be ‘quiet’ in the way they worship and to try to ‘put a man in the Council’. Other things that occur in the chapter are: the tragic tale of Eulalie/Ivan/Bolo, Bolo losing his temper and its tragic results, and the coming of Prince. In the end, Bee decides to break the law because the church is slowly dying.
Chapter 4:
In this chapter, the reader learns about Bee’s children, as well as their response to his talk of ‘breaking the law’. Winston wants to become a police and Taffy wants to leave Trinidad. Bolo sits in church as a question mark and eventually leaves, while Bee finally ‘breaks the law’.
Chapter 5:
Bee breaks the law continuously until the church is raided. Everyone is dragged to jail, but Bolo intercedes on behalf of his mother. He is beaten and subsequently imprisoned for three years with hard labour. Bee was left with no choice but to sell his cow to avoid going to jail. Buntin’s shop becomes ‘black empowerment’ central, attracting all the youngsters, including Reggie, to join the discussions. Taffy stabs a boy and runs off to stay with his uncle in Port of Spain, while the Winston leaves Bonasse in order to become a police.
Chapter 6:
This chapter is all about the campaign trail and how diligently Bee worked to get Ivan elected. An air of freedom and joy pervades this chapter. It ends, however, with Eva’s observation of the changes that Ivan makes in his life, in accordance with his new position, as well as her views on the implications behind Ivan Morton’s procurement of the house on the hill.
Chapter 7:
This is a very dramatic chapter that highlights Bolo’s release from jail and the extent to which things had changed during his incarceration. He tried to get land and did not succeed, he tried to stick fight and faced cowards. The chapter ends with the destruction that he wrought on the drums in order to express his anger and frustration.
Chapter 8:
This chronicles Bolo’s descent into a mode of destructive behavior: (a) obtaining a job and (b) extorting products from the market vendors, rum shop and gambling shop. Bolo’s fame extends outside Bonasse in this chapter, thereby highlighting the severity of his anger.
Chapter 9:
Joyce, the Dorcas’ only daughter, gets married, while Bolo kidnaps Primus’ two daughters. Bee tries to get men to ‘challenge' Bolo, since that is what he wants, but he barely succeeds at this. The police intercede and Bolo, as well as Primus’ youngest daughter, gets killed.
Chapter 10:
Election time and Ivan is on the trail. The reader is not made aware of whether or not he is re-elected, but what is known is that the Shouter Baptists were legalized. The irony at the end of the book, however, is that on the cusp of their great victory, the spirit left the church. Despite this tragedy, Eva hears it in the music that the boys play on the steel pan.
Chapter 1:
The readers are introduced to the narrator, Eva, and her husband Bee, along with three of their children: Joyce, Gem and Reggie. Reggie has failed his examination and the couple debates whether or not to ask Ivan Morton for help. It becomes apparent that the hope of the community rests on this young politician’s shoulders. He disappoints the community, however, when he does not support the Shouter Baptists. The reader is introduced to the budding relationship between Joyce and Clyde, as well as Bolo’s disappointment in the church’s apathy. The chapter ends with Reggie being placed in a high school after previously applying without his parents’ knowledge.
Chapter 2:
This chapter charts the changes in Bonasse and how it affects Bolo and Clem. Clem accepted and went with the flow, while Bolo just could not accept change and became disruptive. The banning of carnival, hence stick fighting, became a reality, and the change that Americans had on the cultural identity of the people was emphasized throughout this chapter.
Chapter 3:
The church plays a vital role in this chapter. The pride that is felt about its existence and perseverance is expressed by Eva. However, a law is passed that makes the church illegal, thereby forcing the members to plot to keep the church alive. The formulated a plan to be ‘quiet’ in the way they worship and to try to ‘put a man in the Council’. Other things that occur in the chapter are: the tragic tale of Eulalie/Ivan/Bolo, Bolo losing his temper and its tragic results, and the coming of Prince. In the end, Bee decides to break the law because the church is slowly dying.
Chapter 4:
In this chapter, the reader learns about Bee’s children, as well as their response to his talk of ‘breaking the law’. Winston wants to become a police and Taffy wants to leave Trinidad. Bolo sits in church as a question mark and eventually leaves, while Bee finally ‘breaks the law’.
Chapter 5:
Bee breaks the law continuously until the church is raided. Everyone is dragged to jail, but Bolo intercedes on behalf of his mother. He is beaten and subsequently imprisoned for three years with hard labour. Bee was left with no choice but to sell his cow to avoid going to jail. Buntin’s shop becomes ‘black empowerment’ central, attracting all the youngsters, including Reggie, to join the discussions. Taffy stabs a boy and runs off to stay with his uncle in Port of Spain, while the Winston leaves Bonasse in order to become a police.
Chapter 6:
This chapter is all about the campaign trail and how diligently Bee worked to get Ivan elected. An air of freedom and joy pervades this chapter. It ends, however, with Eva’s observation of the changes that Ivan makes in his life, in accordance with his new position, as well as her views on the implications behind Ivan Morton’s procurement of the house on the hill.
Chapter 7:
This is a very dramatic chapter that highlights Bolo’s release from jail and the extent to which things had changed during his incarceration. He tried to get land and did not succeed, he tried to stick fight and faced cowards. The chapter ends with the destruction that he wrought on the drums in order to express his anger and frustration.
Chapter 8:
This chronicles Bolo’s descent into a mode of destructive behavior: (a) obtaining a job and (b) extorting products from the market vendors, rum shop and gambling shop. Bolo’s fame extends outside Bonasse in this chapter, thereby highlighting the severity of his anger.
Chapter 9:
Joyce, the Dorcas’ only daughter, gets married, while Bolo kidnaps Primus’ two daughters. Bee tries to get men to ‘challenge' Bolo, since that is what he wants, but he barely succeeds at this. The police intercede and Bolo, as well as Primus’ youngest daughter, gets killed.
Chapter 10:
Election time and Ivan is on the trail. The reader is not made aware of whether or not he is re-elected, but what is known is that the Shouter Baptists were legalized. The irony at the end of the book, however, is that on the cusp of their great victory, the spirit left the church. Despite this tragedy, Eva hears it in the music that the boys play on the steel pan.
October 28, 2016
With the Second World War raging on, “the people” of the village of Bonasse in Trinidad are under siege. The government has banned the Spiritual Baptist Church from practicing their cultural way of worship. Bee is the preacher of the church and one of the sage members of his community. He advocates finding a civil means to lead the people through the crisis. He believes they need a man in the Legislature to speak for them and their plight. Bee cautions, however, that to confront the injustice of the law, the villagers must recognize “when your hand is in the lion[’s] mouth, you must ease it out.” In order to survive their persecution, the church decides to adopt Catholicism until after the war when the people hope their freedoms will be restored. Such passivity and resignation does not go over well with Bolo, the local stick-fighting king who is also a revered hero in the community. He wants to lead violent revolt against the authorities. His willingness to take up arms resonates “like a hard question mark” in the church. When the people do not embrace Bolo’s attempts to fight back, he systematically resorts to wreaking terror within his own community.
Narrated from the perspective of Eva, the wife of Bee, her dialect possesses an intelligence and lyricism that is both a joy to read and a treasure to admire. Through a cast of distinctive characters, Lovelace captures the pulse and spirit of the people in Bonasse. The community’s dilemma of whether to outlast or confront their oppressors poses difficult choices that challenge the faith and fate of the people. The novel further examines how personal battles within the village shape the lives of families and friends. Lovelace is a master at exploring the dynamics of human dignity. He is also a talented craftsman. His prose is rich and ecstatic. He writes with compassion and understanding that leave a resounding impact. The Wine of Astonishment is an unforgettable book and a remarkable achievement.
Narrated from the perspective of Eva, the wife of Bee, her dialect possesses an intelligence and lyricism that is both a joy to read and a treasure to admire. Through a cast of distinctive characters, Lovelace captures the pulse and spirit of the people in Bonasse. The community’s dilemma of whether to outlast or confront their oppressors poses difficult choices that challenge the faith and fate of the people. The novel further examines how personal battles within the village shape the lives of families and friends. Lovelace is a master at exploring the dynamics of human dignity. He is also a talented craftsman. His prose is rich and ecstatic. He writes with compassion and understanding that leave a resounding impact. The Wine of Astonishment is an unforgettable book and a remarkable achievement.
October 8, 2008
A poignant novel about choices a people must take in order to exercise their freedoms. This novel, set in Trinidad, is metaphorically pertinent to all oppressed peoples. The black Trinidadians reach the threshold when the Brits and Americans not only force European religious practices on them, inject western pop culture into the island, and keep Trinidadians into the polictical fold, but then the people find that one by one their culture is dissolving as its members are swooned over by promises of easier jobs and simpler living.
The stand is taken by the Messianic character Bolo. The fight he engages in is determined to be bloody.
A short and to the point read written from a minor character's perspective. The book invigorates images of Civil Rights era frustrations. It also is a sympathetic look into the Spiritual Baptist religion.
I had a hard time appreciating Bolo's methods, however. Through tragedy, comes a great relief for our people.
The stand is taken by the Messianic character Bolo. The fight he engages in is determined to be bloody.
A short and to the point read written from a minor character's perspective. The book invigorates images of Civil Rights era frustrations. It also is a sympathetic look into the Spiritual Baptist religion.
I had a hard time appreciating Bolo's methods, however. Through tragedy, comes a great relief for our people.
August 14, 2011
Believe it or not, this was my first Lovelace novel!! I loved it and I just could not separate myself from the book. The entire narrative felt like a monologue and I especially loved that it was set in Trinidad, written in our language, by one of our people and above all, a very strong novel. I will be reading more of his books in the near future and investing in having what belongs to us on my bookshelf. Yes, this has been long overdue.
Read
July 23, 2011This book was required reading for Literature at my High School. It was the first Lovelace book I'd read, and it got me hooked on Lovelace as an author. It is quite distinctly Trinidadian, and gives a very rich social, historical and cultural perspective. There is tragedy, comedy and triumph in this book! I highly recommend it!
September 14, 2012
Lovelace's novels are some of the BEST postcolonial stories out there. And they make me love Trinidad & Tobago, a country I have seldom paid attention to in the past, though I have a friend from there. This novel is a small (short) jewel.
June 11, 2020
Jól indult az év! Jó választás volt a Modern Könyvtár sorozatnak ez a rövidke, de annál tartalmasabb kötete. Nagyom erős írás. Ráadásul a világnak igencsak távoli végéből. Trinidadban járunk, valahol a dél-amerikai kontinens északi partja közelében. Különleges, egzotikus történetet várhatnánk karibi hangulattal. Kapunk helyette egyediségében is általános látleletet egy kicsiny elnyomott közösség harcáról a fönnmaradásért, és kőkemény emberi drámát.
A közösség identitását sajátos keresztény hite határozza meg, amelybe beépültek őseik Fekete-Afrikából hozott szokásai. Egyházukat azonban törvényen kívül helyezik, tagjait minden elképzelhető módon üldözik. Mi lesz a gyülekezet sorsa? Van-e elegendő megtartó ereje a hitnek a létet fenyegető diktatúra árnyékában? Vagy utoléri őket a kisebbségek szomorú sorsa, a kényszerű beolvadás? Átadható-e a hagyomány az új generációknak, vagy a modernizációval párhuzamosan csak mélyül az ellentét apák és fiúk között?
A közösség szakrális vezetője, Bee tiszteletes és Bolo, a harcos egyaránt a hagyományok őrzői. Két külön utat járnak, mégis csak ők értik egymást. Ellentétük egyre mélyül, miközben lelkük mélyéből látják és ismerik egymás érzéseit, tetteik motivációit. Melyik a helyes út? Van-e jó választás? (Maga a dilemma Robert Bolt A misszió c. könyvét juttatja eszembe.)
Kettejük harcát, vívódásaikat, belső küzdelmüket a tiszteletes egyszerű ám bölcs felesége, Eva asszony, beszéli el mély empátiával. Dől belőle a szó, mesélő kedve kiapadhatatlan, veretes bibliás nyelve csodaszép, hitében erő és mélység. Ez segíti át minden nehézségen. Túlél és túlélni segít másokat. Keserű belenyugvással szemléli az új generációt.
Két tetőpontja is van a történetnek. Az egyik rendkívül drámai, megrázó. Először azt gondoltam, itt kellett volna abbahagyni. De Lovelace odakerekít még egy fejezetet, ami inkább szomorú és rezignált, de nekem itt is összeszorult a torkom. Végül is így vált egésszé a közösség és egyén drámája, hogy aztán egy egyszerű befejező képpel mégis megcsillanjon némi reménysugár.
Kivételesen jó könyv, nagy drámai erő.
Két napja gondolkodom rajta, de azt hiszem, megy a könyv a kedvencek közé.
A közösség identitását sajátos keresztény hite határozza meg, amelybe beépültek őseik Fekete-Afrikából hozott szokásai. Egyházukat azonban törvényen kívül helyezik, tagjait minden elképzelhető módon üldözik. Mi lesz a gyülekezet sorsa? Van-e elegendő megtartó ereje a hitnek a létet fenyegető diktatúra árnyékában? Vagy utoléri őket a kisebbségek szomorú sorsa, a kényszerű beolvadás? Átadható-e a hagyomány az új generációknak, vagy a modernizációval párhuzamosan csak mélyül az ellentét apák és fiúk között?
A közösség szakrális vezetője, Bee tiszteletes és Bolo, a harcos egyaránt a hagyományok őrzői. Két külön utat járnak, mégis csak ők értik egymást. Ellentétük egyre mélyül, miközben lelkük mélyéből látják és ismerik egymás érzéseit, tetteik motivációit. Melyik a helyes út? Van-e jó választás? (Maga a dilemma Robert Bolt A misszió c. könyvét juttatja eszembe.)
Kettejük harcát, vívódásaikat, belső küzdelmüket a tiszteletes egyszerű ám bölcs felesége, Eva asszony, beszéli el mély empátiával. Dől belőle a szó, mesélő kedve kiapadhatatlan, veretes bibliás nyelve csodaszép, hitében erő és mélység. Ez segíti át minden nehézségen. Túlél és túlélni segít másokat. Keserű belenyugvással szemléli az új generációt.
Két tetőpontja is van a történetnek. Az egyik rendkívül drámai, megrázó. Először azt gondoltam, itt kellett volna abbahagyni. De Lovelace odakerekít még egy fejezetet, ami inkább szomorú és rezignált, de nekem itt is összeszorult a torkom. Végül is így vált egésszé a közösség és egyén drámája, hogy aztán egy egyszerű befejező képpel mégis megcsillanjon némi reménysugár.
Kivételesen jó könyv, nagy drámai erő.
Két napja gondolkodom rajta, de azt hiszem, megy a könyv a kedvencek közé.
May 20, 2022
" Lord, you make your people see hard things, you make us to drink the wine of astonishment."
The Wine of Astonishment was something else, I see why it is a 'Caribbean classic'. Earl Lovelace managed to a simple story with a simple narrative and turn it into something beautiful. The examination of a society struggling to rid itself of colonial (e.i. white) ideals. I loved the historical narrative of the Baptist church in the country, trying hard to survive. I wonder how the explosion of the Pentecostal Movement in America (1906) affected Spiritual Baptish Church in Trinidad and Tobago. The explanations of the feeling of the spirit and the church experience seem very similar to that of the Pentecostal movement. (The Azua Street Revival was started by an African American).
I enjoyed Eva's narration immensely. She was a very perceptive character whose insights added to all of the characters around her. She was able to see and perceive them in a way that allowed the reader into the mind of those characters. Bolo, Bee, and Ivan Morton played their roles well. They were all examples of different ways of adapting and dealing with a country in evolution. Seeing how the characters clung to the old way of doing things or embraced colonial (e.i. white) ideals was an interesting one. The unwavering belief that things would eventually get better and God would make a way really really touched me deeply.
Lovelace's writing is simple and yet so lyrical. I love that The Wine of Astonishment is not written in standard English. It allows Eva's narrative personality to stand out.
"We have this church in the village. We have this church. The walls make out of mud, the roof covered with carrat leaves: a simple hut with no steeple or cross or acolytes or white priests or latin ceremonies. But is our own. Black people own it. Government ain't spent one cent helping us to build it or to put bench in it or anything; the bell that we ring when we call to the Spirit is our money that pay for it. So we have this church."
The Wine of Astonishment was something else, I see why it is a 'Caribbean classic'. Earl Lovelace managed to a simple story with a simple narrative and turn it into something beautiful. The examination of a society struggling to rid itself of colonial (e.i. white) ideals. I loved the historical narrative of the Baptist church in the country, trying hard to survive. I wonder how the explosion of the Pentecostal Movement in America (1906) affected Spiritual Baptish Church in Trinidad and Tobago. The explanations of the feeling of the spirit and the church experience seem very similar to that of the Pentecostal movement. (The Azua Street Revival was started by an African American).
I enjoyed Eva's narration immensely. She was a very perceptive character whose insights added to all of the characters around her. She was able to see and perceive them in a way that allowed the reader into the mind of those characters. Bolo, Bee, and Ivan Morton played their roles well. They were all examples of different ways of adapting and dealing with a country in evolution. Seeing how the characters clung to the old way of doing things or embraced colonial (e.i. white) ideals was an interesting one. The unwavering belief that things would eventually get better and God would make a way really really touched me deeply.
Lovelace's writing is simple and yet so lyrical. I love that The Wine of Astonishment is not written in standard English. It allows Eva's narrative personality to stand out.
"We have this church in the village. We have this church. The walls make out of mud, the roof covered with carrat leaves: a simple hut with no steeple or cross or acolytes or white priests or latin ceremonies. But is our own. Black people own it. Government ain't spent one cent helping us to build it or to put bench in it or anything; the bell that we ring when we call to the Spirit is our money that pay for it. So we have this church."
September 12, 2024
Didn't we learn back when Dickens was writing not to write in characters' accents? The narrator and main character of this book spoke English so poorly that I was more than halfway through before I figured out what her relationship to the doomed church was, and I never figured out her name. I also never figured out how one chapter related to the next. Sometimes they're talking about it being illegal to be a Baptist and other times they're talking about stick fighting and other times they're talking about a bully who kidnapped two girls, and I honestly have no idea what the connection was between any of them. It was just like "random shit that happened in Trinidad and tobago" or whatever, and there wasn't really a story here. I don't know if this is supposed to be some kind of pomo shit, or what. It was published as a part of some artistic thing from the islands. But I just.... I have no idea what this book even was. I like a story that all connects in the end eve if it isn't clear how throughout the story, but this didn't do that. This just provided random antecdotes about life and left it to you to decide what to do with them. I'd say this isn't a novel so much as a series of short stories, but it was sold as a novel, and I didn't like it because it didn't connect with itself. Not to mention the poor English grammar.
June 9, 2019
Novella-length, almost. Written in the speech trinidadians used, at least in those days (1982), the story tells of the villagers of Bonasse. The story centers around the repression of their religion, how the authorities do everything in their power to shut down the way they worship. They want these West Indies baptists to stop enjoying their religion so much, stop dancing and clapping and speaking in tongues when the spirit moves them, and act more like docile, "decent," quiet, respectful anglicans and catholics. The church is representative of their whole culture, the way they care for their families, and their neighbors, the way they live close to the Earth, taking their living from it and caring for it and loving it and praising it. To shut down their religion takes away their life-blood, and almost destroys their spirit.
November 11, 2024
This book, the wine of astonishment takes place in Trinidad after the prohibition of the Baptist religion. I read this for class because of my Caribbean studies, but ended up loving this book either way. It does show the history of of the British colonize every single country in this world while creating issues within their societies. They corrupted the politicians who knew the people had faith in and destroyed hopes of bettering, their democracy and community. This this book talks about the historical events of the prohibition of the Baptist Church, and how Britain put a law against this religion to practice in their churches or through their rituals. This is through religious colonization and sadly many people were killed and arrested for for practicing the religion in private. Very well written book and I don’t want to spoil the rest.
December 8, 2020
I don't think you need to go out of your way to read books that aren't written from a white middle class author. They can just show up, if you let them.
I found this book waiting by the road for me. A lovely little read about a small community in Trinidad. The whole book is about Trinidad and gaining independence or becoming a people. I liked the small story that is big. It is clean and gets to the point.
In this day and age of politics, this too is about politics at its heart. Worth a read for someone trying to understand somewhat what all the fuss about being black can be. I don't think that is the intention of the author but it does illustrate police, politics and community.
I found this book waiting by the road for me. A lovely little read about a small community in Trinidad. The whole book is about Trinidad and gaining independence or becoming a people. I liked the small story that is big. It is clean and gets to the point.
In this day and age of politics, this too is about politics at its heart. Worth a read for someone trying to understand somewhat what all the fuss about being black can be. I don't think that is the intention of the author but it does illustrate police, politics and community.
July 21, 2017
Mind-churning, eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, thought-provoking work; the necessary and continuously relevant food for thought from my favorite Trinidadian author.
The sociopolitical commentary is relevant today. What's changed in our society? The language we use, the names and faces of the politicians and their politricks?
Also, "no one is free until we are all free" is the quote that came to mind mid-read.
Side-note: Bolo's narrative and character; so much depth and sagacity! I loved it.
The sociopolitical commentary is relevant today. What's changed in our society? The language we use, the names and faces of the politicians and their politricks?
Also, "no one is free until we are all free" is the quote that came to mind mid-read.
Side-note: Bolo's narrative and character; so much depth and sagacity! I loved it.
September 26, 2025
Peak. So peak.
Up there with Of Mice and Men in terms of novellas
Bolo is such a nuanced character. A man who's emasculated. He fights for his people, but his people have no fight. He becomes a "badjohn" terrorizing his own people just to see them stand up for themselves.
Tragic.
Also, there's the "schoolteacher" and showing the different types of masculine archetypes that people developed in response to colonialism.
There are no flat, unbelievable characters, and it offers a deep introspection into colonized Trinidad.
Up there with Of Mice and Men in terms of novellas
Bolo is such a nuanced character. A man who's emasculated. He fights for his people, but his people have no fight. He becomes a "badjohn" terrorizing his own people just to see them stand up for themselves.
Tragic.
Also, there's the "schoolteacher" and showing the different types of masculine archetypes that people developed in response to colonialism.
There are no flat, unbelievable characters, and it offers a deep introspection into colonized Trinidad.
August 7, 2021
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I loved the way it was told. It was like listening to your friend tell a good story. Loved that it was in creole. Loved the way the story came together. Loved that even though the story went backward and forward in time, it wasn’t confusing at all. It was just like if someone was telling you a story in real life and went backward and forward to fill in the details.
I also learned a lot about the history of my own country. Although I knew about the banning of Spiritual/Shouter Baptists, this book helped me to really see what it was like for them and what it was like for a black person in general in those times.
I also learned a lot about the history of my own country. Although I knew about the banning of Spiritual/Shouter Baptists, this book helped me to really see what it was like for them and what it was like for a black person in general in those times.
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