From the Publisher
Hans Lindor’s I Am Going Where I Belong is a stirring coming-of-age tale set amidst the backdrop of Haitian history.
Hans Lindor’s I Am Going Where I Belong is a stirring coming-of-age tale set amidst the backdrop of Haitian history.
In the
midst of a democratic presidential election, the victor will inherit a torn
country which is battling a cholera epidemic—that has already killed thousands
living in remote areas— and is still in the recovery and reconstruction stage
after the devastating earthquake. Described in more vivid and grim terms in the
book, Hans Lindor sums up Haiti’s existence in one sentence: “The existence of
the Haitian people seems based on despair, vicissitudes, and destitution.”
I am Going Where I Belong revolves around the cold-blooded
murder of Hans Leger’s father and gang rape of his mother. Removed from their
wealthy status, Hans and his family move to Florida where they are essentially
the same people that Hans Leger watched from the car in downtown Haiti—destined
to poverty. Surrounded by violence, poverty, and racism, Hans manages to launch
his writing career and lift his family out of poverty.
Written
masterfully by Hans Lindor, one of the moving images of the book—at the beginning—describes
Hans Leger looking on as a fifteen-year-old girl is forced into prostitution.
Though this is a fictional tale, it is not far from reality. The Miami Herald reports that earthquake
survivors are being smuggled into the Dominican Republic and used as prostitutes,
drug peddlers, and beggars. It is astonishing to see innocent individuals at
the mercy of their grim circumstances. The question arises, however, that if
the Haitian Diaspora continues, who will be left to save the nation and restore
peace and order?
Despite the
tragedy-filled events of the book, I Am
Going Where I Belong sends the message of hope, positive thinking, and
overcoming adversity and hardship. The fact is that many Haitians have fled the
country in fear for their lives. Democracy is practically invisible while the state
of nation has been unchanged for decades. To this day, it remains vulnerable, treacherous,
and violent.
About
Hans Lindor
Hans
Lindor, novelist, screenwriter and playwright, has a singularly unique
perspective on life and has earned many accolades for his fiction and poetry.
Hans
Lindor has used his extraordinary life experiences to inspire young people, and
has given motivational speeches and workshops to students in Michigan, Ohio,
Indiana and Florida, advocating against guns, drugs and violence and giving
students hope for rising above hardship and social struggles.
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