A Tall History of Sugar Audiobook By Curdella Forbes cover art

A Tall History of Sugar

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A Tall History of Sugar

By: Curdella Forbes
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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A Tall History of Sugar tells the story of Moshe Fisher, a man who was "born without skin", so that no one is able to tell what race he belongs to; and Arrienne Christie, his quixotic soul mate who makes it her duty in life to protect Moshe from the social and emotional consequences of his strange appearance.

The narrative begins with Moshe's birth in the late 1950s, four years before Jamaica's independence from colonial rule, and ends in the era of what Forbes calls "the fall of empire", the era of Brexit and Donald Trump. The historical trajectory layers but never overwhelms the scintillating love story as the pair fight to establish their own view of loving, against the moral force of the colonial "plantation" and its legacies that continue to affect their lives and the lives of those around them.

Written in lyrical, luminous prose that spans the range of Jamaican Englishes, this remarkable story follows the couple's mysterious love affair from childhood to adulthood, from the haunted environs of rural Jamaica to the city of Kingston, and then to England - another haunted locale in Forbes's rendition.

©2019 Curdella Forbes (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books Caribbean Creators Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism Sagas Magic

Critic reviews

"Curdella Forbes seamlessly weaves Jamaican English and the Queen's English in this captivating novel.... Part love story and part historical fiction, A Tall History of Sugar is a refreshing take on race and colonialism that moves between Jamaica and England." (Electric Lit)
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It was a good story. I actually caught things I missed the 1 st time I heard it

Love the characters

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The story was superb! Just had a bit of trouble with the back-and-forth of the storyline throughout time it got a little confusing at times. But nonetheless the book is a work of art :-)

Beautiful and a bit confusing

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A lot of reviews of this Nobel are low because of the reader/listener's unfamiliarity with Jamaican Patois. If you aren't accustomed to the language parts of this text will be difficult, but if you are familiar it's an incredible story that spans decades, perspectives, and multiple themes. I really enjoyed this book.

Epic tail, interesting prose, superb narration.

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