This would be an excellent read for those trying to understand a black female experience in Europe and other parts of the world in the 60s and 70s. However, she slowly made friends and began to be accepted in the society. She and her husband stood out as foreigners with no family support. Karen also described the harsh dojo existence, her loneliness, because Japanese culture is multigenerational and supports the family. How her partner would stay up all night to ensure she and her daughter were safe. Karen described her experiences of unwanted male attention in some of the middle eastern countries. It took them a year of road, water and flight, living frugally, sleeping in their car, and camping on the grounds. Instead of flying or travelling by ship, they decided they would drive. One of the most memorable parts of the book was when she, her white partner, whom she later married and her young daughter decided to move to Japan in the 70s to become part of a Dojo. Through all those traumas, Karen continued her life and broke many boundaries. I admired how she transcended a tough childhood – a mentally ill and institutionalised mother, her childhood home burning down, her beloved father and brother murdered. Karen began her travels in 1965 when she was 19 and went around Europe.
I immediately bought the book because it intrigued me. It is about her life as a black woman who travelled around the world, finally settled in Japan, and has been there for over forty years. I first heard of Karen Hill Anton on the Alliance of Independent Authors’ podcast, where she discussed her memoir, the View From Breast Pocket Mountain. This is a memoir about adventure, resilience, survival and defying the odds!
0 kommentar(er)
