The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmtih by Thomas Kenneally


finished 6/30 ......... 20th cent. Aust. ........ rating 8

A native boy with mixed blood believes the missionary's admonition to work hard and marry white so that you can have a good life. Jimmy does this but his white employers cheat him and his wife is not quite what he was promised. He rages and retaliates. All of this happens during the exact time frame as the Boer War in Africa and the proclamation of Australia as a independent part of the British Empire. This adds a couple of dimensions - one is the irony that as Australia gets her freedom, it's not for the natives and the same thing is happening all over again in South Africa. The theme of racial oppression is really the emphasis in this book and I can understand the rage now. I'd understand if even more black-American kids weren't just out and out criminals.

On the down side, I was wondering how Kenneally thinks he can get into the head of a black Australian boy at the turn of the century. But ... he's writing for Anglo readers so ...

Based on a true story.

Posted: Sat - June 30, 2007 at 10:45 PM        

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