Reviewed by Dwight Bellanfante

I Persist by Dr Patricia V Smith is a compelling memoir that chronicles the author’s journey from a desolate childhood in Jamaica to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the United States. The book is a testament to the power of determination, perseverance, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Dr Smith’s story is one of triumph over numerous obstacles, including abandonment, physical and emotional abuse, homelessness, and mental health struggles. Her narrative is raw and honest, providing a detailed account of her experiences and the lessons she learned along the way. The book is structured in a way that takes the reader through different phases of her life, each chapter offering insights into her struggles and victories.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is its portrayal of Dr Smith’s unwavering determination to succeed despite the odds. Her journey from selling plums on the streets of Spanish Town to establishing a successful home care business in New York and a hotel in Jamaica is nothing short of inspirational. The book also highlights the importance of education, self-reliance, and the support of friends, strangers and mentors in achieving one’s goals.

Dr Smith’s writing is engaging and heartfelt, making it easy for readers to connect with her story. The inclusion of “Second Thoughts” at the end of each chapter provides valuable reflections and advice, making the book not only a memoir, but also a guide for those facing similar challenges. The narrative highlights the journey of a female entrepreneur who overcame poverty, a suffocating paternalistic culture and a primitive state child welfare system, with the support of key figures, including Hector Ricketts, Joan, Daz, Dr Dawn, and spiritual advisors. Their encouragement and love were pivotal in her transformation in a male-dominated economy. 

The story emphasizes resilience and gratitude for those who provided support and a poignant coming to terms with absent parents when reunited. Overall, the narrative encourages readers to pursue their dreams and believe in the possibility of overcoming severe hardships. Through it all Patricia Smith shares her life experiences, emphasizing the inevitability of change and the importance of finding meaning in struggles. 

Smith introduces herself and reflects on her life filled with both terrifying and wonderful experiences, emphasizing that life is a continuous flow of change, with moments of pain, hope, and serenity. The “Second Thoughts” offer realizations, rather than preachy lessons. From the first chapter, she explores her fragmented childhood memories including strained family dynamics and the concept of the inner-child, with her earliest memory beginning at age six, recalling a moment with her grandaunt, Aunt Daisy, to an uncomfortable encounter at age seven, dressing up for a visit from her father, who showed little affection and expressed disbelief in the author’s paternity, with veiled references about her being “ugly”. These put-downs extend to her being described as looking like a mongoose by Aunt Daisy’s spoilt daughter, her cousin. She is subject to forced hunger while her cousin grows fat, and bouts of homelessness on the streets of Spanish Town while sleeping in the Spanish Town Market. 

The life of a “barrel child”—those whose parents leave their children behind in search of a better life abroad—sending back barrels of foodstuff and clothes, in her case without the emotional factor of love, deeply affected her emotional well-being. School provides some escape, as she hungers for education, even as she forages for food to eat and selling plums and coconuts being her main sources of meagre financial means and sustenance. 

School was a sanctuary for Patricia, where she excelled academically, despite her difficult home life and lack of support. She endures neglect and severe beatings from Aunt Daisy without the slightest provocation. Throughout this, her irrepressible resilience shines through enabling her to navigate the poverty, abuse, and the quest for education in a harsh environment. Through a stroke of fortune, she is assisted to the United States by her father’s girlfriend, who treats her with love and consideration and a whole new adventure begins with severe ups and downs, ultimately resulting in her rise to dizzying heights of success while adopting coping mechanisms, what the author describes as “manage and control”.

I Persist is published by Amazon and is available online.

Dwight Bellanfante is a writer and publicist.