Atlantic Ave Magazine September 2023

the oddest job of them all. The story begins with him saying it’s
this job that has saved him. Trelawny was on a trajectory towards
giving up, and the events that transpire on this day are what allow
him to seek out how to be a survivor. The next time we see him, he
has found full time work, and is really striving to put a roof back
over his head.”
Escoffery’s If I Survive You is a work of fiction, but incorporates a
time in the world that is very much real to
a large sector of the population and crucial
not to be forgotten.
“I spoke with a lot of Jamaicans that
had immigrated here during the seventies
and eighties, and stayed, including
my parents. There were some people
that moved back shortly after they gave
living here a go, and some who never left
Jamaica. Their stories were sort of similar
across the board, so I went with those
as fact - although to corroborate the
stories, I looked to the Jamaica Gleaner
(periodical) for the historical events. I
think what I’m most happy about, is the
chance to add to the historical record of
the Jamaican diaspora, and to document
what it was like to grow up in Miami during
the 1980’s and nineties - being able
to talk about events I’ve never read about
before. I know people who have had parallel
experiences to mine that may see
themselves in my writing, and I really
wanted to contribute that to literature.”
Jonathan’s knack for capturing the true essence of his characters
comes through often in their speech, with detailed colorful prose and
an astute recognition, that exposes each individual’s uniqueness.
“If I wrote some sections in what’s thought of as a “standardized
form of English,” it would have killed the authenticity of Topper
(Trelawny and Delano’s father). He’s largely telling himself
the story of his life up to a certain point, and it would have been
odd for him to translate it through someone else’s language. Not
all Jamaican’s talk like Topper, but I tried to weave in various registers
- even with Trelawny himself, as he is attempting to fit into
different spaces.”
The title of a book has the power to seize your attention and illuminate
personal perspective about what to expect inside. Escoffery
explains a bit of how he decided on the name, If I Survive You.
“I was re-reading the manuscript and the word survival kept
coming up, and I asked myself what does that mean… as the characters
are dealing with, in some cases, life or death situations. There’s
this family narrative and father/son dynamic that appears across
multiple characters, and I started thinking about Jamaican heritage,
particularly that of the second generation - and are they going to be
able to sustain that in the United States? What happens when the
older generation dies and we survive them… and all that remains
is what they leave behind? Surviving someone in that sense - describing
what Topper and Sanya are handing down to their sons… I
wanted the term ‘survive’ to be interpreted in different ways.”
Joining the ranks of pop culture icon status, viewers of HBO
Max’s And Just Like That may have caught a glimpse of Escoffery’s
book cradled under Sarah Jessica Parker’s arm.
“The moment was surreal… but I didn’t know that scene was going
to make it into the show until Season 2 premiered. It’s interesting
when you spend your time around other writers - sometimes
what we value isn’t always what the larger media consuming public
values, and so to have that crossover is phenomenal.”
“Under the Ackee Tree” proves to be a
vital section in the book and should be
poured over with care. Trelawny demonstrates
his frustration with having to
constantly defend his heritage and trying
to assimilate as an outsider, by acting out
in a rebellious and violent way at his father’s
home.
“Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national
dish, and is important to Topper. Part of
his dream home that he builds in Florida
included the fruits of his homeland. He’s
only able to have this tree in his backyard
because his favorite son, Delano, becomes
an arborist and transplants an ackee tree
for him. So there’s this sense that Delano,
the one who was born in Jamaica, understands
the importance of lineage and culture.
There’s also this idea that Trelawny
doesn’t appreciate or understand the culture,
and since childhood says he doesn’t
even like the taste of ackee and saltfish.
I see the pivot points of attempting to
sever the ties with his birthright at the
end of “Under the Ackee Tree,” and the final paragraph of the book.
There’s an opportunity for hope and healing in that final moment,
and those two instances operate as pillars for the book. My own
father definitely became someone who was rooting for me, and although
he didn’t necessarily understand my journey with writing…
he was rooting for me more and more until he passed away.”
Jonathan is currently working on a second work of fiction set in
Miami Beach, and is slated to appear at the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary
Festival in early September.
“If, If I Survive You is the only book I ever write, I’ll still be proud
because it achieves what I set out to accomplish. Sometimes the adversity
you face, that often comes in the form of editorial rejection,
can make your career something you can be proud of, so I don’t encourage
people to rush to get their work out. Making your writing
truly exceptional and undeniable takes time and perspective. My
advice, if you can stand it - is patience.”
Escoffery’s triumph received American Short Fiction’s 2023
Constellation Award for a Story Collection, was longlisted for the
Booker Prize and the National Book Award, shortlisted for the
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the National Book Critics
Circle’s John Leonard Prize, and was named one of the best books
of 2022 by Entertainment Weekly, TIME, The New Yorker, People,
Oprah Daily, and Kirkus.
Picador is scheduled to release the paperback edition of If I Survive
You on September 5, 2023 which can be purchased online or at
any Barnes & Noble bookstore location.
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