Pilgrim State

PILGRIM STATE is a stunning literary memoir which tells the story of Dorothy Walker - equal parts beautiful, headstrong, brave and tragic.

Her life is lovingly recreated by her daughter Jacqueline in homage to the remarkable woman she was. In the haunting opening pages, set in Pilgrim State mental facility in New York State in 1951, Dorothy has been forcibly sectioned and is battling to keep her children and her sanity. She will struggle all her life with both. Dorothy and her children eventually return to Jamaica before finally making a new home in post-Windrush London in the early 60s. Dorothy and her children face prejudice and loss but are bound by incredible love and their unique sense of family. This is Dorothy's greatest and lifelong gift.

PILGRIM STATE celebrates place, the life-affirming nature of family and the bonds between mothers and daughters that can never be broken. Its story is haunting and powerful and speaks for generations of women, resonating long after the story ends. Jacqueline Walker has done her mother proud.