Book Launch: Cave Shepherd, Worthing: March 18, 2010; 4pm

A new children's book, Brown Sugar and Spice, written by Betty Peter and illustrated by Alison Antrobus, will be launched this Thursday 4.00pm at Cave Shepherd, Worthing. Betty Peter is the younger sister of Peggy Antrobus; Alison is Peggy Antrobus' daughter.

Also on the schedule will be appearances on CBC and readings to school children at various schools. See tentative schedule below:

Wednesday 17th March 5.45am CBC Morning Show

Wednesday 17th March 10.00am Codrington School

Thursday 18th March 1.30pm St.Gabriel's School

Friday 19th March 1.15pm St. Angela's

A brief summary of the book is available at the Repeating Islands website,
http://repeatingislands.com/2009/12/15/new-book-betty-peters-brown-sugar-and-spice/, which reads as follows:

'Brown Sugar and Spice, a new children’s book that highlights Caribbean history, was launched today (December 15, 2009) in Trinidad. The book was written by Betty Peter and it targets 9 to 14-year-olds. With a great sense of humor and adventure, Brown Sugar and Spice explores colonial days, war (World War II), and illness as seen through the eyes of a young girl, Harriet'.

Poetic Justice

When I first read last week about Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott, withdrawing his nomination from an Oxford University professorship, I smelled a rat. The story that had forced this move was about alleged sexual misconduct during his teaching career, and that the stories were being circulated anonymously among those who would choose the new Oxford University Professor of Poetry--a prestigious role, that is viewed as second only to the Poet Laureate. All the candidates threw up their hands and said "Shame!", "Horror!", "Disgrace!", etc.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? If Shakespeare will allow me to borrow his lines from Romeo and Juliet. We find one of the rival candidates was behind sending e-mails to journalists who then helped launch a little smear campaign. Now, Prof. Ruth Padel, who won the professorship, against the weakened field, has confessed and resigned from the chair (see NY Times report), stating “I acted in complete good faith and would have been happy to lose to Derek.” Yea, right. But when she won she had said her victory was “poisoned by cowardly acts which I condemn and which I have nothing to do with...Those acts have done immense damage to people and to poetry.” She certainly has a way with words, but truth doth elude her. We may have to see if that is not a lift from a literary work. In the end, she admits that she acted "naively" and "unwisely". But, she is still kicking the stone that I did nothing wrong and am gravely misunderstood.

Just reading a few of the reports about this episode would lead me to think that this might be some crazy, mixed up lady. Then I find that she is a great-great-grand-daughter of naturalist Charles Darwin; had a father who was a psychoanalyst; and did a doctoral thesis on Greek tragedy. She was once a journalist, too. Funny, how she did not put two and two together when she sent the e-mails. Or did she? Enough there to find its way into a best selling novel. One wonders what phoenix may rise from the ashes of this sorry tale.

Get A Culture? Ghetto Culture?

The English-speaking Caribbean is not alone in having public discussions about the relationship between public entertainment and public behaviour and morals. In recent years, these discussions have been intense in Jamaica because of stated concerns about the level of murders and other violent crimes, their connection with drug trading and gangs, and a tendency in certain styles of music ('dub' and 'dance hall') toward lyrics with commonly accepted offensive words or hateful sentiments-often against women and homosexuals. Sexual suggestiveness in songs and dances has also come in for comment, though this is an aspect of Jamaican music that has been there for decades; many of my generation can recall easily Max Romeo's controversial song 'Wet Dream'. The discussions often take on a socio-economic flavour because many see the popular music as having its roots in Jamaica's 'ghettos', and therefore criticisms can sometimes be seen as attacks on 'ghetto culture'.

Trinidad too, has had similar public discussions as some of its soca music has taken on a more sexually suggestive tone in lyrics and dance styles.

Barbados has gotten into such a conversation largely because much of the music popular with the young here is Jamaica's dub/dance hall output. Tag that with the tendency of the public minibuses ('ZRs') to lay such music, often at high volume, and for some a perceived downturn in social behaviour has its clear cause and effect.

General public sentiment about popular music has rarely been complimentary, wherever one looks. Much of the past 60 years is an interesting study in how popular music crazes in the USA and Europe were first reviled, then accepted, then lauded. A common criticism in places like the USA and England was that this was the 'devil's music' or 'jungle music', taking a hammer to often thinly disguised roots in black music that were not given their due credit, initially. We only need to look at the careers of white rock-and-roll stars such as Elvis Presley, through The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Cream, punk bands, and many more. Within black music itself, the accusations were also many and criticisms harsh. Whether the target was Bo Diddley, James Brown, Funkadelic, The Last Poets, Prince, Ice Cube and many of the modern wave of hip-hop artistes.

Similarly, other forms of popular entertainment have had to deal with much public opposition or criticism or lack of acclaim. Look back a few hundred years into the history of English literature, for example. William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist, writing in the 16th century, was never revered in his lifetime. Geoffrey Chaucer (the 'father of English literature'), writing 'The Canterbury Tales' in the 1380s, regaled England with sex and bawdiness, and portrayed women as sexually insatiable, lecherous or shrewish--as was common in those days often with the backing of the churches. Yet, now these and others are regarded at the pinnacle of the English language and literature 'culture'.

Looking at films, the list of offending items is really too long. In the days of heavy censorship in the UK, it was interesting to see how opposition moved from political themes to those depicting sex and violence. The British Board of Film Censors received strong criticism for an over-zealous attitude in censoring film prior to the 1960s. The censoring found that those who wanted to could always get access to what was banned or distributed with cuts.

One of the problems with having these public discussions is that society does not share one view on what is acceptable. This is often most obvious with the generation gap between parents and children. Many of toady's parents liked music as teenagers that their parents thought inappropriate. Similarly, today's teenagers like music that many current parents find odious.

As a society tries to build or retain a culture, the role and position of its various elements are complex. Music's roots and attitudes to musical output are very complex. Taking a slice of social development. Those whom I know who grew up in a social setting of going to dances, or clubs, or parties, tend to have a certain view (positive) about much popular music. Those who grew up differently, not surprisingly, could be expected to have different (negative) views.

Music has many effects, without doubt. Often the beat is what drives people's reactions and its popularity, and lyrics can often become secondary. I recall someone saying to me that they could not understand how people enjoyed jazz, which only seemed to serve to put people to sleep. The soothing tones of jazz are what some love.

I have used dance music a lot when coaching soccer. It is wonderful for developing rhythm and balance. People laud Brazil for playing the game to the rhythm of samba. I even had a Ghanaian friend, who is a dance teacher, work with my team of young girls to get them to learn how to move to various forms of modern popular music. I know professional soccer coaches who have incorporated ballet music and steps into their routines to develop a certain grace and pace.

I grew up in the UK at a time when funk was popular (late 1960s)--which mixed jazz and R&B-- and also when 'house' music was very popular (which originated in Chicago in the late 1970s and early 1980s), and mixed soul, funk, and disco. As a result, I love music that has a strong beat and a fast rhythm. I also grew up during the era of psychedelic heavy metal music. I like them too. Many of the major artists were known to be inspired by drugs and drug-taking, with lyrics that made that clear. I did not like that, but my love for their music did not turn me into a drug fiend.

During all of my sporting career I had that music playing in my ears or around me when I trained and before I raced or played a soccer match. We often see today athletes with their iPods tuning in to their music before they compete.

I did not grow up in Jamaica, but love the heavy bass rhythm of reggae. I understand most of the lyrics so can relate to them at many levels, with or without music. Whether it's the complex social commentary of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Mutabaruka, or Linton Kwesi Johnson. Whether it is the lyrics on the hard-driving Buju Banton style. I know that much of reggae music is inspired by and through the use of marijuana. I do not see that loving that music makes me a supporter of a drug culture.

What I have heard in discussions recently suggests that when people do not understand something they tend to fear it; highly educated people are little different in that regard though talk better around the same fear. I even heard this attitude with regard to much popular music: "I don't like it. I don't understand it and I don't see that I need to," I overheard in a conversation the other day. Those who like and understand it can deal with it at many different levels. I self-censor offensive lyrics if they come in any song; once I know the song, when it is due to be played I take care to censor it for the benefit of children if they are nearby. I certainly have no time for arguments that laud the music of Chopin or another European classical composer as being great while labelling dub music as being base or even worthless. Likewise, country ballads have their place in the hearts of a certain group of people, but not in mine. But I should not imagine that listening to country music will turn me into a 'redneck'.

Much of the recent outrage has to do with the featuring of certain explicit sexual or violent references in music. Little of the discussion has focused on whether music is the problem or the listeners are the problem. Any thing innocent and harmless can be made dangerous in the hands of a fool or someone careless. Likewise, dangerous things can be dealt by those who know how to handle them.

Music and other forms of entertainment have their place in a social and economic context and trying to discuss their worth and influence without knowing or studying or understanding that context is limited. Talking about music's influence without saying how it is it will harm some and not harm all leaves out an important element about how people behave. I have not heard much discussion of the context or the roots of behaviour when I hear condemnation of certain music styles, so I have to conclude that a real conversation is yet to happen. I also wonder about the focus on music when there are horrid images of violence and drug use and trafficking in many of the films distributed for public viewing. Sordid sexual images are in many advertisements. Has anyone gone around and checked the content of books sold freely in the stores? Is the concern really about bad influences or is just about one noticeable possible element?

Kindling New Tastes

Most people would agree that the past 50-60 years have seen unprecedented technological progress, and most of that has been of the electronic kind. That follows a long period of immense technological progress that was mainly of the mechanical kind, stemming from the Industrial Revolution. The latter period, we tend to characterize as the 'information age', mainly because we have seen the advent of computers as extensions of most aspects of work and home life and with that has come the packaging of large bodies of information that can be transferred without any physical movement of people or things.

After I joined the Bank of England in the early 1980s, I recall the amazement I had when I first came across a fax (or facsimile) machine and the first documents that I received and sent--loan documents to do with Mexican debt and its rescheduling. They were a few hundred pages long and I remember that it took a long time for everything to pass through. At the end, I had a reasonable copy of the blessed thing and could crawl over it at leisure. Then I encountered electronic writing in the form of word processing software and again I was amazed at what could be done with a new machine for me, portable computer--or as it was at the time a luggable computer by Compaq,which for many weeks I would lug between my office and my home (I was very fit and strong in those days). I was quite incredible to see words pop up on the screen and to then edit text and move it around with the click of a few buttons. Man, was I on the cutting edge. Then, documents were still printed out and photocopied, but gone were the days of hours of writing in manuscript, to have it typed to have it edited to have it retyped, etc. My secretary at the time was of course leery of these changes as she could see quickly that only time would stop me from not needing her particular skills of using an electronic typewriter and managing the intricacies of an IBM golf ball.

Time waits for no man it seems, and soon afterwards we moved into another world, that of electronic mail. Now, I could be anywhere in the Bank and I could get messages about all sorts of work subjects, and documents, and offer comments, edit the documents and reply and share all sorts of file. We were still in the late 1980s and my life was moving so fast that I was not sure what more I could handle. In ten years, life moved spending most of my time poring over paper documents and writing on paper, to some scrutiny of paper documents and writing mainly on a machine. We did not have or want at that time documents that were electronically edited, and those who preserved the archives and files were fighting to find ways to manage the new form in which records were being created. From binders with reams of documents we moved to information on diskettes. When there was a fire at the Bank it also showed people the weaknesses of our work practices because many of the new electronic records were never back-up and that meant having to recreate data and documents after the fire.

After I left the Bank and went to the Fund in the early 1990s came the advent of the World Wide Web and Internet pages and searches and spending more hours on the computer rather than just a few, but still having to read through mountains of paper, because the Fund produces documents in reams.

When I was based in West Africa for a few years, while I had all of this technology at my finger tips--with my communications set up by way of a satellite, or a cable connection--I had to watch and work with people who had very little electronic equipment and what was available was limited to certain officials. I had to reacquaint myself with seeing people lugging large bundles of files when it was time to discuss topics, and there I was with a diskette in my pocket.

For someone who loves to write by hand and loves pens, I was thinking the other day how little actual hand writing I now do--mainly jotting notes to myself, writing checks (very few), and signing permission forms for school.

With all of these changes resistance has always been present. People tell funny and sad stories about how some have struggled to make the transition from the world of paper and pen, to computer keyboard, screen and diskettes and now memory keys. People steadfastly refused to use the computers assigned to them and were almost literally hauled screaming and kicking to turn them on and start to work. Word ground down to a halt for some and they began to see the activities dwindle and their participation lessen as they were not following discussions electronically. We know that at the top of many organizations the leaders are not really as au fait with technology as many would like to think. Vice President Biden gave new meaning to that this week when he talked about the 'number' for the presidential web sites to deal with the stimulus package that he will oversee (www.recovery.gov). This VP did not claim to have invented the Internet so I will cut him some slack, but he did look awkward.



We know of CEOs and managers whose computers sit on their desks still covered. By contrast, we have the tech savvies like New York City's Mayor Bloomberg (he of the terminal and who has set his main office up to look like a trading room, and who fired an employee for playing computer Solitaire) and now President Obama (he of the BlackBerry), who appear to be near the front edge.

I was a bit bemused by a conversation I was in last week about reading. Here, an interesting reaction is being played out. Avid readers mainly get their jollies by inhaling the words from a printed page, usually a bookand we can say also newspapers and magazines. Many of these same avid readers spend much working and private time reading documents in electronic form (word processed or now in PDF form). But, somehow, there is a resistance to letting go of the book for an electronic reading device, such as Amazon's Kindle. No one of my generation knows life before books and newspapers, but most of us will know that the printed word was not there many centuries ago. Things were scrawled on stone, on wood, on other materials; if copies were needed then the process had to be started again. We must give thanks to the advent of the printing press, for sure.

But someone protested vociferously that the Kindle is not a book. Well, I can see that. But so what? It contains what I want to read. Those who have moved to this new device will say that by electronically downloading the text that they want they have in the space of a small paper back, maybe 1500 books and a device that will function for two weeks when fully charged. Great for travellers. Imagine being in hospital for a few days or even weeks. Those who are book lovers say "It's not the same". But nor is reading the newspaper online. They will argue that they would prefer to be able to turn the pages of the book, and also a real newspaper, but make a concession with the latter. I know for example that every day I read about a dozen newspapers online before I start work, and they cover the main UK, US, Jamaican, Bajan editions. I also read several periodicals online. My house is only cluttered with the copies of the local papers that are delivered to my house, rather than piles of other papers. One old Bajan wag gave me a reasonable argument this morning: a book is useful if you are in the bathroom and run out of toilet paper. I should really tackle this harder. In terms of the environment, I would have thought that those who urge 'think before you print this e-mail message' and live in the world of the electronic document would be amongst the first to see that buying another printed book has just chopped down the same trees that were about to be saved. I cannot argue with the excited feeling that comes from having a box or packet of books delivered, in a era where so little personal mail is sent. I would think in terms of finances that downloads are usually much cheaper than purchasing a book. I also recall a request sent to me by my wife when I was in Miami airport to look for a particular book. I would have needed to go back through security to find the book shop and perhaps risk missing my flight. It was not bought, after a sales clerk told me that it was not available. But online, it sure is. But I do need too much convincing on this.

The fundamental opposition to electronic readers I am hearing does seem like double-think to me. I was especially bemused to hear the opposition from a doyenne of a book club, and think of the problems sometimes caused because the set book is not available to everyone: "I'll read it quickly and pass on my copy" shouldn't really apply. (I remember the days of a file binder or newspaper making the office rounds and sometimes hitting my desk so long after the events as to be ridiculous.) If everyone had a Kindle texts could be downloaded in minutes, even by those who are off the island on some work assignment in deepest Belize or the jungles of Guyana. Maybe that has not been considered.

I can always handle an argument that is just about a preference, but let's see that for what it is. I am going to try one of these electronic readers over the next few days and will be interested to see if I can read it under the bed covers without a light. If so, that could be worth a year of marriage counselling. I have had a few bad instances with electronic gadgets and water, so would be wary of taking the Kindle to the bathroom, and would be very careful if I am near the swimming pool. But maybe it is less sensitive to damp than say a cell phone. I like it that the size of the typeface can be adjusted. I like it that it can be set to read the book or journal to me: that's so neat as I imagine being tired and having a book read to me. (I could see some parents using that to cheat their kids at bed time, and putting the Kindle on the pillow then walking out while the machine does the 'talking'.) Maybe, there is the 'last bastion' argument at work. True, not all change is good, and certainly not all change is welcome.

Well, I will play with this device for a few days, loaned to me by a friend, and see if it can rekindle my love of reading.

Guest Post--Writer’s Steps: "Timmy Turtle and the Litterbugs"

A newly-acquired friend, Susan Haynes-Elcock, has offered the following post, which gives some insight into how she has moved ahead as an author. Susan visited Barbados recently and came to see my wife a few Sundays ago; they know each other from Nassau. I was there to offer sustenance in the form of a really good chilli and corn bread that I had prepared to keep me going through the Super Bowl later that evening. Susan became a "taster" and gave the dish the thumbs up. So much so that I was left with corn bread crumbs for the big game.

We discussed the time the newish residents has spent so far in Barbados, including our new appreciation of Bajan pudding and souse, especially when used at a little spot in St. John, the Village Bar, Lemon Arbour. We also reminisced a little about things Nassovian and time living in England. The following weekend, I met Susan and a Bajan lady friend of hers at this said place in St. John, who were having a meal there for the first time ever. Glad to make both of their acquaintances.

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Writer's Steps: "Timmy Turtle and the Litterbugs"

As far back as I can remember I have always loved reading and books. Punishment and I became great personal friends, as I was so desperate to have a never-ending supply of books that I would sneak over to my friends, every chance I got to raid their collection of books; mine being long exhausted. (Funny, how parents always knew that you were where you weren’t supposed to be.) Even stranger was that parents wanted you to read (though not when you had chores to perform), and failed to appreciate how enterprising you were at sourcing a constant supply of books. I mean, let’s think about the dangers you faced at 10 years old: braving the traffic, or taking a shortcut through the immensely, overgrown path; or hopping over a 5 foot chain link fence – not to mention facing bad dogs one had to outsmart, and when that failed, outrun them.

I survived licks (not from dogs) and all manner of punishment; escapes from the jaws of dogs et al; grew up, became an adult, and eventually had children of my own. I encouraged the same love of books and reading in them, but was challenged to find literature representing ‘other’ and hence made the decision to one day write for children.

When the 'WRITE' day finally arrived, it didn’t just gently slip into place. It happened with something of a rush - not a huge tumultuous, earthshaking, volcanic bang, but more like a gale force 10 wind, maybe even gale force 12 (hurricane), kinda shock. Yep, victim to 'redundant restructuring' (my term). Just like that! A month’s salary and a new career – 'be careful what you wish for'.

To date, I have published "A Cry For Summer", which introduces the topic of HIV/AIDS to children, and adults. This project was done in coordination with the Barbados National Terminal Co. Ltd and the National Cultural Foundation. The most recent publication is the book and computer animated CD - "Timmy Turtle and the Litterbugs".This was a joint project between the Solid Waste Project Unit, Ministry of Health, Shell Western Supply and Trading Company and Caribbean Kids, and had a nice book launch.

Timmy Turtle, himself one of the endangered species of animals, introduces primary aged children to what happens if the environment is made sick. Work has commenced on the next publication which consists of a series of readers entitled "Rubbish Rebel". Also on the agenda are books on cancer and obesity.

I write for children mainly on social and environmental issues which can impact their lives, but my main desire is to push them out into the magic world of reading.

Post prepared by Susan Haynes-Elcock

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Susan gave my four year old daughter a signed copy of her book and that will be treasured.