This 25th anniversary edition of Floella Benjamin's classic memoir,
Coming to England, includes a foreword by the author and some
additional historical information. It is beautifully illustrated by
Michael Frith.
Floella Benjamin was just a young girl when she, her sister and two
brothers arrived in England in 1960 to join their parents, whom they had
not seen for fifteen months. They had left the island paradise of
Trinidad to make a new home in London - part of a whole generation of
West Indians who were encouraged to move to Britain and help rebuild the
country after the Second World War.
Reunited with her mother, Floella was too overwhelmed at first to care
about the cold weather and the noise and dirt from the traffic. But, as
her new life began, she was shocked and distressed by the rejection she
experienced. She soon realized that the only way to survive was to work
twice as hard and be twice as good as anyone else.
This inspirational story is a powerful reminder that courage and
determination can overcome adversity.