No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley

Rating:
Summary: A Story of Love & Honor
Review: A story of love and honor. Rita Marley recalls her childhood, her courtship and marriage to Bob. Rita is a courageous woman by all accounts.
Rita struggled through the rough streets of Trench Town Jamaica.
I liked that she wasn't just Bob's wife, she paved her own way as well. She was always about something. She kept her pace and stayed the woman she wanted to be regardless of fame or what anyone else thought. Living a true Rastafarian life style she raised her children with values, farmed her land with her own two hands. Rita excepted Bob's life of fame, his womanizing but she always remained a friend and always one step ahead of Bob. She watched his career and the people in his life with a sharp eye. Rita and Bob had their ups and downs but Bob always knew Rita's house was home and he always wandered back. Rita portrays Bob as a loving father and a prophet, a voice for the people and she recalls how political things became. The death threats they recived and how they were not safe and infact Rita was shot.
I found the story of Rita and Bob Marley moving. They stood the test of time. A true account of love and honor. We all know Bob was amazing. But in this novel you'll find that Rita is quite amazing herself. She accepted and raised Bob's other children and when Bob died it seems everyone had a claim in Bob's affairs. Rita stood her ground and she is in charge of many organizations and does much for the children in Africa. From a little girl with big dreams, raised by her aunt in Trench Town Jamacia Rita has carved one phenomenal life. A woman of great respect and patience. I enjoyed this glimpse in to their personal life.

Rating:
Summary: Story of a womam
Review: If Bob Marley had written this book, he would have gone further: "Tell the children the truth. We've been trampling down the wine press much too long..." As Rita is writing it about life with a man she loves dearly, it feels gentled down, yet still true. Others have written about the music and the new religious/political/social view of the world. Rita writes about the life, so we can imagine some of the events and conditions that underlie those creations. The events she focuses on make it clear how difficult it can be to establish a stable family or satisfying life in the midst of a society that undermines the relationships of men and women, of work and worker, of parents and children.
" Many people will fight you down when you see Jah's light". Much as been made of a few pages that cover a night when Bob insisted that Rita was his wife and forced her to have sex. In context, it is clear that this was part of the back and forth dynamic that took him away with other women and brought him back to a relationship based on family. Rita in other passages admits to her own temper and the way that personalities and circumstances did not always immediately bring out the best in either of them. Being able to speak truth about this common experience of women, with even the most intuitive of men, is essential if we are ever going to move beyond the assumptions and behaviors that reinforce patterns of men hurting women.
In the end, I found that this is a book about being a women. The challenges that Rita faced in her marriage and family and work held my interest and improved my understanding. She directly told me about what happened, and gave some background so I could think about what it means, without interpreting the whole experience. She is a woman I am glad I have met, even if it is only in the pages of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Courage and Hope
Review: NO WOMAN, NO CRY: MY LIFE WITH BOB MARLEY by Rita Marley with Hettie Jones is an intriguing and engaging account of the life of Reggae singer, Rita Marley.

It's a story of a woman who in spite of her circumstances was able to overcome many obstacles.

Rita came from humble beginnings. Growing up in Trench Town, a rough part of Kingston, Jamaica, didn't offer her many choices. When she got pregnant at an early age, she was able to continue her education due to the help of her Aunty.

Rita had a natural talent for singing and attempted a singing career. It was during her early years that she met Bob Marley. They started off as friends, but eventually their love for music drew them together and before long they were married.

Subsequently, Rita put her music career on hold to raise her and Bob's children. Meanwhile, Bob's career continued to flourish. No matter what happened between them, Rita remained committed to Bob. She was the glue that kept her family together.

With Bob's success came much turmoil with their relationship-namely Bob's infidelities and children outside of his marriage. Strange as it seems, Rita and Bob remained married.

Rita re-entered the music business as a member of Bob's backup group, The Wailers, when the original members quit. Her and Bob were together once again as a musical team and traveled the world until he became ill. When Bob was diagnosed with cancer, it was Rita who stood by his side and was his support system. She truly loved him to the very end.

Rita Marley's generous spirit is evident throughout the book. The book is about choices and the inner drive to survive in spite of what life dishes out. Most importantly, Rita teaches us to have faith and never lose hope.

Rating:
Summary: Behind Every Great Man
Review: We all know of the Jamaican sensation, the singer-songwriter, the legendary Bob Marley, but few knew the man. NO WOMAN NO CRY is an account of the life of Rita Marley, his wife, and the woman who knew him best. Her story begins "in a goverment yard in Trench Town", just like the song suggests.

NO WOMAN NO CRY is like sitting and talking to an old friend. Rita Marley writes fondly of her love of music and her unyielding devotion to Bob, his goals and his career. She is candid about the hurt of his numerous public affairs and how she constantly struggled to hold on to who she was, apart from Bob Marley the icon.

At the close of NO WOMAN NO CRY I came away with the impression that Rita Marley is a strong devoted woman who did what was necessary to provide for her children and who never gave up hope in her marriage. After her husband's death she has worked tirelessly to continue his legacy.

Reviewed by Aiesha Flowers
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers