Tales of Bequia

Rating:
Summary: Tales of Bequia, a daughter's prespective
Review: At the time this book was written my father described life on Bequia as it was. The people he spoke about where very much like himself, seeking solice in a place away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. He owned a major NYC public relations business and it was a place he and my mother could escape to to unwind and regroup. Sadly, this year they sold their home which he had built from stone, purple heart and green heart wood. This house holds many memories for my entire family as do the many friends and acquaintances we had the pleasure to meet over the 30+ years we were fortunate to call Bequia "our home away from home". All three of his grandddaughters and one of his two greatgrandsons have visited Bequia and have many memories. This book was written from his heart and is a tribute to the people of Bequia, those born there and those fortunate to call it home, even for a short while.

Rating:
Summary: Tales of Bequia, a daughter's prespective
Review: At the time this book was written my father described life on Bequia as it was. The people he spoke about where very much like himself, seeking solice in a place away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. He owned a major NYC public relations business and it was a place he and my mother could escape to to unwind and regroup. Sadly, this year they sold their home which he had built from stone, purple heart and green heart wood. This house holds many memories for my entire family as do the many friends and acquaintances we had the pleasure to meet over the 30+ years we were fortunate to call Bequia "our home away from home". All three of his grandddaughters and one of his two greatgrandsons have visited Bequia and have many memories. This book was written from his heart and is a tribute to the people of Bequia, those born there and those fortunate to call it home, even for a short while.

Rating:
Summary: Paradise in the Clouds
Review: Tales of Bequia is as refreshing as the breeze on the island paradise's Friendship Bay. Thomsen has a flare for capturing the personality of both the island and its inhabitants. Using a narrative style in the best tradition of Bequian story-telling -the author introduces us to the island through a cast of characters who live there. Each chapter is filled with antidotes of the life on this Caribbean "Island of the Clouds", seen through the eyes of the author. Like reading somebodies personal journal, Thompsen writes about the context of a particular people and the culture of St. Vincent's largest Grenadine island. This book fails to recieve five stars for several reasons. The book is outdated. References to the new Prime Minister and his popularity seem painfully out of touch as the same Prime Minister is now fallen from the nation's favor, even on his own native Bequia. Others mentioned in the book have since died and although things in the islands move slowly, the island has changed since this books printing. Another shortcoming of the book is that Thomsen spends too much time introducing us to those who are not native Bequians. The island has a rich diversity, due in significant measure to the international yachting community, but it is too heavily weighted with stories about Canadians and Americans. The chapters that deal with the Easter Regatta, the rich culture and heritage around Whaling are the best best representatives of Thompsens writing style. I have sat at the Frangipani in Port Elizabeth and watched many of the people Thompsen describes. Those who long to read a good series of stories about a great island and some wonderful people, will enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Paradise in the Clouds
Review: Tales of Bequia is as refreshing as the breeze on the island paradise's Friendship Bay. Thomsen has a flare for capturing the personality of both the island and its inhabitants. Using a narrative style in the best tradition of Bequian story-telling -the author introduces us to the island through a cast of characters who live there. Each chapter is filled with antidotes of the life on this Caribbean "Island of the Clouds", seen through the eyes of the author. Like reading somebodies personal journal, Thompsen writes about the context of a particular people and the culture of St. Vincent's largest Grenadine island. This book fails to recieve five stars for several reasons. The book is outdated. References to the new Prime Minister and his popularity seem painfully out of touch as the same Prime Minister is now fallen from the nation's favor, even on his own native Bequia. Others mentioned in the book have since died and although things in the islands move slowly, the island has changed since this books printing. Another shortcoming of the book is that Thomsen spends too much time introducing us to those who are not native Bequians. The island has a rich diversity, due in significant measure to the international yachting community, but it is too heavily weighted with stories about Canadians and Americans. The chapters that deal with the Easter Regatta, the rich culture and heritage around Whaling are the best best representatives of Thompsens writing style. I have sat at the Frangipani in Port Elizabeth and watched many of the people Thompsen describes. Those who long to read a good series of stories about a great island and some wonderful people, will enjoy this book.