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"In "The Family Mansion," Anthony C. Winkler continues his exploration begun in "God Carlos" of Europe's colonization of Jamaica; whereas the latter focused on the brutality of the sixteenth-century Spanish invaders, this new (and surprisingly adventurous) novel sets its sights on the ravages of the more 'dignified' British conquistadors. Bringing history to life via the quixotic character of Hartley Fudges is an impressive enough feat, but it is Winkler's uncanny ability to add uproarious humor to this shameful history that sets "The Family Mansion" apart from the standard fare of historical fiction." --Colin Channer, author of "The Girl with the Golden Shoes" "Winkler never glosses over Jamaican deprivation, prejudice, and violence, yet the love of language--and the language of love--somehow conquers all. It's almost as if P.G. Wodehouse had strolled into the world of Bob Marley . . . Winkler's fiction magics the island into a place of rough-edged enchantment." --"The Independent" (UK) "Every country (if she's lucky) gets the Mark Twain she deserves, and Winkler is ours, bristling with savage Jamaican wit and heart-stopping compassion." --Marlon James, author of "The Book of Night Women" "Winkler has a fine ear for patois and dialogue, and a love of language that makes bawdy jokes crackle." --"New Yorker" "Readers are transported along to Jamaica, into Winkler's richly invented 16th century, where his flawless prose paints their slice of time, in turn both brutally graphic and lyrically gorgeous. Comic, tragic, bawdy, sad, and provocative, this is a thoroughly engaging adventure story from renowned Jamaican author Winkler, sure to enchant readers who treasure a fabulous tale exquisitely rendered." --"Library Journal," on "God Carlos" "Winkler's achievement here is not that he remakes himself as a historical writer, but that he remakes history." --Kei Miller, author of "The Last Warner Woman," on "God Carlos" "The Family Mansion" tells the story of Hartley Fudges, whose personal destiny unfolds against the backdrop of nineteenth-century British culture, a time when English society was based upon the strictest subordination and stratification of the classes. Hartley's decision to migrate to Jamaica at the age of twenty-three seems sensible at first: in the early 1800s Jamaica was far and away the richest and most opulent of all the crown colonies. But for all its fabulous wealth, Jamaica was a difficult and inhospitable place for an immigrant. The complex saga of Hartley's life is revealed in vivid scenes that depict the vicissitudes of ninteenth-century English and Jamaican societies. Aside from violent slave revolts, newcomers had to survive the nemesis of the white man in the tropics--namely, yellow fever. With Hartley's point of view as its primary focus, the narrative transports readers to exotic lands, simultaneously exploring the brutality of England's slavery-based colonization. Anthony C. Winkler was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1942 and is widely recognized as one of the island's finest exports. His novels include "The Lunatic" (1987; adapted into a feature film), "The Duppy "(1997), "Dog War "(2007), and "God Carlos "(2012). He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
