PRESS RELEASE

 

 

A much anticipated biography of former Dominican Chief Minister and Premier Edward Oliver LeBlanc written by author Irving André is now available in Dominica.  The 420 page book, entitled, Edward Oliver LeBlanc and the Struggle to Transform Dominica, chronicles the extraordinary life and times of the man many regard as the Father of the Nation. 

 

It describes Mr. LeBlanc’s childhood, his life as an agricultural inspector and his immersion in the national politics of Dominica.  Furthermore, it painstakingly analyzes Mr. LeBlanc’s prodigious efforts to ensure that every citizen had an equal opportunity to gain a sound education and meaningful employment.  Specifically, Mr. André explores the major events of the LeBlanc era including his stunning election victories in 1961, 1966 and 1970, the cultural revolution of the 1960s, Mr. LeBlanc’s nationalist policies, the 1970 conflicts within the Dominica Labour Party, Mr. LeBlanc’s resignation in 1974 and his subsequent activities.

 

This latest addition to the burgeoning literature on Dominica has already received critical acclaim from a number of reviewers.  Professor Peter St. Jean has described it as masterfully written, while attorney Gabriel Christian describes it as “a tour de force of a biography.”  Similarly, American author Warren Allen Smith, a friend of Mr. LeBlanc has praised the book as “impressive” while Earlsworth LeBlanc has lauded this work about his father as “absolutely provocative.”

 

Mr. André formally launch his tenth book in Toronto, Canada on January 29, 2005.  The book can also be purchased for US$24 through theDominican.net. Send queries to Thomson Fontaine, P O Box 27254, Washington DC 20038.