“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

-Viktor Frankl

In 1946, Monty, the seventh of nine children, was born to a Black father and a mother of East Indian descent in the then British Guyana, a nation under colonialism, at a time of heightened political and racial tension. Despite losing his job, Monty’s father worked very hard to provide for his large family, while their mother, a housewife, did just as much hard work in caring for the family, managing household affairs, and doing housework. To seek greener pastures for himself and his family, Monty’s father, Bolo, decided to move to England. In the process of getting his family settled before he leaves, Bolo got duped which resulted in a huge loss, thereby quashing his dreams of leaving for England. Disappointed and mad at himself he took to heavy drinking which affected his health and eventually ended his life.

Though life was tolerable while their breadwinner was alive, it became relentlessly difficult for the entire family upon his death, as they found themselves in deep poverty. Monty’s life transitioned into an arduous one where he had to drop out of school at fourteen to take odd jobs and sometimes hard labour just to put food on the table. While all these were happening, British Guyana at the verge of independence was economically and politically unstable. There were racial clashes giving rise to violence and crime. Bolstered by their ever prayerful mother-a woman of indefatigable spirit, they all went in search of a better life determined to rise above adversity, to overcome poverty and to forge a bright future.

The Slippery Road by L.M Bollers is entertaining because it is a gripping blend of a coming of age story, a journey through history and celebration of virtue. It is a highly original story because Bollers supplies us with information about his family and childhood environment with many of the anecdotes stemming from real experiences throughout his childhood. The atmospheric setting of a politically evolving British Guyana in the mid-forties through to the sixties cleverly mirrors the times and struggles and gives the book a historical piquancy. It is divided into three parts: Mother, Wife and Friend. This is to extol the virtues of his mother, a woman who cared so much for her children that when she couldn’t do anything else for them, she would go on her knees to pray. And as they grew, she became a friend to confide in when they needed advice. Her unwavering love for family created firm roots that would be an anchor for her biracial son while growing up in a society fueled by racial tension, crime and poverty. A wife who loved her husband despite his failings. To the end, she was the centre of their lives, the glue that keeps the family together. The book also expounds on the virtues of determination, hard work and extraordinary resilience and resistance by showing how circumstances of an individual’s life do not determine his or her destiny but the individual’s responses to them.

I am particularly caught by the use of language. Bollers tells his story with a commendably sophisticated simplicity and clarity devoid of the characteristic descriptions in many books that tends to bore some readers. Even though it contains experiences of violence, racism, crime and suffering, there is no conscious effort to paint a vivid picture in the mind of the reader so as to emphasize any of the above mentioned experiences or to evoke certain emotions in the reader by the facility of language. Shakespeare said that “an honest tale speeds best being plainly told”, The Slippery Road by L.M Bollers is a story plainly told.

Being an autobiography, it follows Bollers’ childhood with a considerable degree of accuracy which I find interesting. However, there is what I suppose to be a tendency to mix facts and fiction, by the specific dialogues which usually characterizes fiction. The book contains dialogues that seemed too precise to be recalled and others that did not take place in the presence of the author. Furthermore, there is very little mention of dates to supply the reader with a cohesive timeline of events which I consider to be important in an autobiography.

By and large, it is a great read. Though I find the ending to be somewhat abrupt and sudden, I find the story highly inspiring. Monty’s resilience in the face of hardship is quite extraordinary. The events and experiences are quite similar to that of people in the third world or developing countries. Lastly, I recommend the book to anyone who is struggling with challenges and setbacks in life. It is also for anyone looking for inspiration in times of extreme difficulty and hopelessness.

The book was published on January 11, 2022 by Palmetto Publishing. It is available for purchase online at Amazon.com

About L. M. Bollers

He was born in the Colony of British Guiana, South America (now known as Guyana) where political hardship and poverty ran rampant. The sixth of nine children in a mixed-race family. His father being black and his mother East Indian, he attended both Trinity and Agricola Methodist Schools at different periods of his young life and later followed his dad and two of his brothers into construction. He migrated to the United States in 1982 and worked in construction for a short while until he found work in the Hotel industry in New York City. He remained there for thirty-six years while raising his family. Since retirement in 2017, he now resides in the beautiful state of South Carolina and spends his time writing, enjoying family, and the beauty of nature.     

For more information on the book and L.M. Bollers please visit www.lmbollers.com.