Gibraltar Lane: A Jamaican Odyssey

When Michael Manley comes into power, the Ritchie family face political hardships--causing them to leave their home in Kingston for a new life in Miami.

Grandma Vida's superstitions go beyond miracle cures as she tells Marcia of her prophetic dreams and duppie (ghost) stories.

Marcia navigates the customs and quirks of Jamaican weddings and funerals with a self-made list of rules.

Growing up on an island paradise is not all sun and beaches. Marcia details the many unique problems that are almost commonplace in Jamaica.

After excelling in academics, Marcia is encouraged to try her hand in athletics--something she has no interest or aptitude in.

Marcia's neighbors on Gibraltar Lane range from the laidback Rastafarian to the periodically institutionalized. Listen as Marcia details the everyday drama that walks past her home in Kingston, Jamaica.

After Marcia's mother gets a job in America, Marcia finds herself longing for those times of year when the family is reunited.

Marcia always wanted a little sister to play with, but when Suzie joined the household, her mischievous ways made Marcia learn that being a big sister wouldn’t be all fun and games.

Grandma Vida, Aunt Sweety, and Mommy went to different churches around Kingston--so Marcia got used to church hopping and seeing the many different kinds of God-fearing people.

Marcia starts school with a few hiccups--talking back and losing hats. She later realizes that if she wants to get into her dream high school, she'll need to get high exam scores and a full scholarship.

After several hospital visits, Marcia's severe asthma sends Grandma Vida on a hunt for remedies ranging from the medicinal to the superstitious.

With a mother abroad and a father at work, Marcia spent much of her childhood under the watchful eye of Grandma Vida.

Along a gravel road in Kingston, Jamaica, Marcia begins her story with a day in her life as a Caribbean kid in the 60s.