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What Frances Mayes did for Tuscany, Don Noel has done for Jamaica. In 1966, he and his wife discovered, on the island's South Coast, an unspoiled, out-of-the-way village where most residents make their living fishing on the Pedro Bank 50 miles off shore - "far sea," as the fishermen call it. They built a beachfront house, embellishing it over the years with a tennis court, a swimming pool and other improvements - and fending off roaming goats to establish lush plantings of tropical flowers and trees. They got to know their neighbors, and found ways to be helpful. Near a Far Sea is the often-comic story of coping with a Third World bureaucracy and an unsophisticated labor force to make it all happen. But it's a story that focuses on the village neighbors - thumbnail character studies that illuminate the life of a Jamaican fishing village. The subtext includes commentaries on British colonialism and attitudes about race, and notes on tropical trees and fruits, flowers, farmers' markets, birds, the Jamaican fishery, education and more. It's a book that will engage you by the colorful folk who populate it.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Robert Kinberg
reviewed Near A Far Sea: A Jamaican Odyssey on December 18, 2016
Near A Far Sea
This book chronicles a walk from one state to another along the boundary of a glacial lake, but the way McKibben describes it, it is so much more. It is a cultural divide, a socioeconomic divide. I was hoping for more nature, but McKibben plainly states "I am not a naturalist". He mentions a few trees, a few birds, but the book is more about the journey from one place to another.
Starting near Robert Frost's cabin near Ripton, Vermont, McKibben just starts walking - hiking, really - towards Lake Champlain, eventually crossing it, and meeting up with some people along parts of the trails. He winds and weaves through passes and forests, crossing over into the "wilderness" of the East: New Y0rk's Adirondacks, ending near Garnet Lake, New York.
Picture from The Nature Conservancy
It's an enjoyable read, especially if you are familiar with McKibben's work, and the people he meets along the way. I have never been to this particular area of the country, and the book made me want to explore it more. I felt that there was A LOT more story here, but appreciated it for what it was: a love letter to the area he calls home.
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