Daughter of the soil Mrs. Marilin Malone Bass, will join the list of local authors, when she launches her book Boundless Childhood Joy: Tales from and around the Garden next week.

The book is a collection of short stories about Marilin’s childhood growing up in Fat Hog’s Bay, on the island of Tortola in the Virgin Islands, during the early to late 60s.

Mrs. Malone Bass said highlights in the book include fun summer activities in the absence of modern-day toys, observation of a sheep giving birth, and unique ways of fishing. The text also mentions an encounter with a stingray and is a non-fiction book for ages ten and above.

Boundless Childhood Joy: Tales from in and around the Garden is a way to preserve happy childhood memories Marilin, her siblings, relatives, and others share. The author said, “Read about life growing up in the 60s in Fat Hog’s Bay on the island of Tortola. Younger readers will get a glimpse of life without today's technology. Older readers will reminisce about the wonders of their childhood and how they found many ways to entertain themselves.”

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Ms. Anne Lennard congratulated Mrs. Malone Bass on her book and said the department is looking forward to future publications. She said the department is thrilled to be associated with the official release of the book and what the author has done in filling each page with things remembered when the village raised the child.  Ms. Lennard said the department is also encouraging more persons to compile works like these because they too will become a part of the archives in the future. 

The book launch will take place on Wednesday, 17 August at 11:00 a.m. and can be viewed LIVE on the Government of the Virgin Islands’ Facebook page or on demand thereafter.  Books can be purchased at Clover’s in Road Town.

The book launch programme is a long-standing initiative of the Department of Culture which continues to support local authors.