“Long Memory” traces the ‘history’ of a multi-racial family from 1492 to the 2000 Millennium.
It is set against the backgrounds of Mexico, the Bahamas, America and England.
The novel chronicles the five hundred year ‘love’ commitment of the main characters to a ‘ love-partnership’, a place and a people.
Intertwined with the main 'love' theme are several other romantic affairs.
In addition to ‘telling stories’, ‘Long Memory’ also makes observations on the human condition in contrasting cultures; and gives an unusual ‘twist’ to the classical microcosm/macrocosm equation.
A multitude of characters: Arawak, Aztec, Amerindian, Colonial British, Modern British and Modern Bahamian interact smoothly and sympathetically as their individual histories evolve and interweave.
The concept of ‘Long Memory’ – a personalization of ‘folk memory’ - gives continuity to... More > the novel, and provides the ‘springboard’ for a surprise denouement.< Less
You must be logged in to post a review.
Please log in
2
People Reviewed This Item
By Vangerry OLDHAM
Oct 15, 2009
"'Long Memory' " Long memory stands for memories from forefathers that were transmitted to a group of three matriarchal women in order that the past, and its upcoming importance, should never be forgotten. Spanning from the year 1492 to 2003, this novel is a treasure trove of history, all neatly tied together by following the adventures of several characters whose lives intertwine during this timeframe in the most fantastic ways. The story basically begins in Bagwynatoo one of 700 island and cays in the Bahamian Archipelago. Over the course of many years Bagwynatoo became Cigatoo and finally Eleuthera where the central characters intermingle in a tale that is part love story and part history. The married couple who penned the novel, and combined their first names, obviously spent years doing the research necessary for this epic plot. To my surprise, characters such as Columbus, Black Beard the pirate, the British Monarchy, Aztec Indians, Geronimo and many others all had... More > part, either directly or indirectly, in the changes that took place in the Bahamas from 1492 on. Beginning with the enslavement of Bahamian native Arawak Indians by Spanish soldiers, the novel later explains how slaves here in the US immigrated to the Bahamas when given their freedom after the Civil War. For me, however, the story began chapters earlier with the love affair between Moctezuma—Emperor and Over-Lord of all tribes in the Valley of Mexico—and Coatlique, Eldest Sister of the Temple Sisterhood. Forced to flee for their lives when the Spanish invade their territory, the couple promises that eventually they will meet again. The promise is then passed down from one matriarchal group of three women to another over five hundred years, causing you to wonder if the lover’s promise will ever be fulfilled. What’s amazing is how the couple who penned the novel seamlessly drifted between first and third person points of view with no abrupt interruptions in the flow of rhythm. It’s a must read novel that keeps you turning the pages until the end. from Dana Reed, Author of recent novels ‘Unholy Alliance’ and ‘The Fifth Deadly Sin’.< Less
Vangerry Oldham succeeds in weaving a fascinating story combining myth and reality in "Long Memory," the story of the fictionalized Coatlicue-Moctezuma lineage which originated on one of the many Bahama Islands. The story is particularly significant in tat little history of the area has been committed to paper; Oldham's prose should find its way into onto Bahaman history bookshelves. The tale tells of the Arawaks on the Island of Bagwynatoo and their descendants and spans not years but centuries. This story is more than a novel. It is an epic that is well researched from beginning to end, and Oldham's clipped, British style of writing is refreshing to read. He explains the title of "Long Memory" as being a gift of the Coatique-Moctezuma line which translates to something akin to reincarnation, or extrasensory perception, throughout the bloodline. This is not to say the manuscript is flawless. The author use unconventional sentence and paragraph structure, the... More > paragraph indentations are too large, and the headers and footers are switched around and not spaced properly. However, these are minor details that are easily corrected and should not detract the would-be reader from tackling this fascinating although lengthy (600 pages) literary work. Vangerry Oldham set out to tell the history of the Bahamas - from the native peoples through the conquerers to modern times. He certainly accomplished this goal in a most delightful manner. Submitted by Steven M. Ulmen for Gloomwing.com< Less
