Book hailed ‘as a classic C’bean story’

Memoirs and their usefulness in preserving details of the past came into sharp focus during the launch of ‘An Accidental Life’.

This book was written by former Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Principal of the University of Guyana, Dr. Harold Drayton. It was launched on Monday at ‘The Orchard’ in Blowers, St. James.

Addressing the audience in attendance, Theo Williams highlighted a significance of the text.

“Memoirs are not simply details of an individual’s life, very importantly they are also a record of the times in which they lived. It would be the benefit of future generations if more books of this sort were written; books that whatever their perspective would afford readers’ views of history by people who lived it.”

Similarly speaking about the importance of memoirs and more specifically the text, Member of Parliament for St. James South, Donville Inniss, stated: “My generation needs to have a better understanding of what went before us.”

He added, “I am very saddened, I must admit, in spite of the best efforts of individuals like Ralph Jemmott, who would have taught us at Harrison College … my generation in particular, really do not have, to my mind, a very deep appreciation of what our forefathers really did for us to get what we have today. Sometimes we are so caught up in this modern era that we don’t take time out to listen to the older folks, we don’t take time out to read and understand. What I am hearing captured and reflected in this book is the journey of a man with roots in Guyana, but certainly who had an opportunity to traverse the Caribbean region and to go further afield.”

Monday’s book launch was attended by Consul General of Guyana, Cita Pilgrim; Attorney, Andrew Pilgrim, Q.C.; wife of Dr. Harold Drayton, Vonna Caleb-Drayton; and Historian, Sir Woodville Marshall.

In his remarks, Sir Woodville described the over 900-page text “as a classic Caribbean story”, which “the thread of migration runs through it”. He additionally told the audience that the book by the former Caribbean Regional Advisor in Human Resources Development with the Pan-American Health Organisation is well presented.

“The book is well written and this is as one would expect from one who had a sensitivity to literature and a life-long exposure to literature. Therefore, his sketches of some of those he encountered on his journeying are memorable. Like for example, what he had to say about the principal of Queen’s College … and of course, the list goes on and on. What I wish to emphasise about the contents of the book is that these contain materials which will both inform and sharpen commentary on a range of social and political issues. It is a source book because of course, it has the correspondence, it has the documentation and of course, it has the very close commentary of Harry myself.”