What do You think about No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley (2004)?
Rating: 3.5 starsSome men know how to pick them. For Reggae icon and notorious philanderer, Bob Marley, his wife Rita was just the right type of woman to carry the load and rarely ever raise a stink. No Woman No Cry is as much about Rita and Bob’s rollercoaster marriage, as it is the telling of the rise and untimely passing of Jamaica’s first and only global superstar. For much of her marriage to Marley, Rita went well beyond the call of duty, enduring extended periods of neglect and heartbreaking revelations associated with her husband’s rock star lifestyle. In the end, it’s difficult to decide whether to label her as foolish or just committed to a fault.
—David Dacosta
Picking up this particular book, I really wanted to experience Bob Marley the legend...big mistake! All I got was Bob Marley the ordinary man. The fact that he beat his wife just descended him from the pedestal that I put him on. I guess he was human like the rest of us after all. The rest of the book was enjoyable..reading about humble beginnings that resonate with my township upbringing made the story even more real. I have a new found respect for Rita because of all she endured and this somehow de-mystified her. (I had always wondered what Bob saw in her in the first place and the story reveals this, which is great!)
—Zanele
This book was very eye opening regarding the choices in love that Bob Marley made throughout his life. Rita meets Bob as a teenaged mother working on her nursing career who also likes to sing. They fall in love after spending countless hours in the studio before Bob becomes a success. Living together in Trench Town, in a small shack, with little to eat, the couple struggle to spread Bob's music while creating a family together. Rita makes do, while Bob sings. And then babies enter the picture, along with other women and record companies intent on making a profit from Bob's message.This is the story of how Rita dealt with Bob's love, success, infidelity, and family; traveling all over the world, being labelled his "sister", caring for his children by other women, singing in the background, and handling his death.I loved the book because it gave me insight into a powerful icon in music that I know little about, but I found myself wanting more, and wishing there was more info given about how his music developed and how he morphed into a Jamaican hero and reggae superstar. Rita wrote this book as if she were holding a conversation, which led to many holes in her story throughout the book. I was left wanting to know Bob's side of the story, and more about his life and struggles."No Woman, No Cry" made for a great discussion within my book club, since Bob's infidelity was a central theme of the book, and it was also a nice introduction to Bob's life, but for a more in depth look, I'd suggest something that focuses more on his career in the music business.
—Nakia
