The term “national treasure” often refers to individuals who have made a significant contribution to nation building. If that is the case, then author Dr. Anderson Reynolds may very well be included on this list.
Reynolds, who is from Vieux Fort, is one of Saint Lucia’s most prominent authors and public intellectuals. Born and raised in Vieux Fort, he holds a Ph.D. in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida.
After working as a corporate economist in the United States, he returned to Saint Lucia in 1999 to focus on his writing and cultural activism. His work is heavily focused on capturing the socioeconomic history and culture of Saint Lucia, often using historical events as a backdrop for his narratives.
This year, Reynolds participated in a series of book signings during the Nobel Laureate Festival. The second signing took place on January 30 at the Orange Grove Mall in Bois D’Orange, where St. Lucia Times caught up with the author, who shed light on his work.
“I’m always looking for places where I can do such book signings, and they are one of the establishments that are very supportive and receptive to me,” Reynolds said.
“Basically, all my books have a historical bent, no matter if they are fiction or non-fiction. So, it’s almost as if I have a rendezvous with history. But so far I have two novels; one set in Vieux Fort, which again uses the American World War II occupation of Vieux Fort as backdrop. It seeks to characterize Vieux Fort, give a sense of why Vieux Fort is the way it is. And it gives you a nice dose of Vieux Fort’s history.
“The next novel, Death by Fire, again is set mostly in Castries, and it gives you a nice dose of Saint Lucian history. It uses many of the major catastrophic events that have impacted Saint Lucia as turning points in the lives of the characters.
“And my third book, The Struggle for Survival, is even more historical. It gives you a nice thick slice of Saint Lucian history, but it is history that reads like a novel and it can be read in one or two sittings,” the author further added.
Reynolds’ books are published under Jako Books, the publishing division of Jako Productions, a cultural and entertainment enterprise which he founded in 2001. They can be purchased online through Amazon (print and Kindle formats), in Vieux Fort at the JQ Plaza and La Tourney Mall, and at mass retailers such as Massy. In Castries, they are available at Clarke’s Drugstore (Bridge Street), M&C Drugstore, and Taste of Saint Lucia (Pointe Seraphine). They can also be found at hotels such as Sandals Resorts and Hotel Chocolat.
Reynolds remains committed to telling Saint Lucia’s story, not merely as an author but as a documentarian of Fair Helen’s history.
