Born in rural Jamaica in 1967. Retired as a Vice President and interim Senior Vice President overseeing a $4 billion infrastructure portfolio in America. This is the story of everything that happened in between.
Eric Jones left Jamaica for the United States in 1987, carrying the heartbeat of his island home into a country that offered opportunities, yet was strewn with challenges. Life Lessons from Two Worlds is the honest, deeply personal memoir of a Jamaican man bridging two worlds—the warm, collectivist spirit of Jamaica and the ambitious, individualistic drive of America—as he rose from humble beginnings up the ranks of American leadership.
Through childhood struggles, Jones shares how his mother's strength helped him rise above his father's failings and misguidance. These struggles taught resilience and became pillars of strength as he later confronted societal inequities, love, loss, and starting over. Written with raw honesty and sprinkled with authentic Jamaican Patois, this book celebrates the soul of Jamaican culture while offering hard-won insights that speak directly to the immigrant experience.
Inside, you will find:
- 136 life lessons, distilled at the close of every chapter—mantras for reflection, healing, and growth you can return to again and again.
- Over 30 real Jamaican proverbs, in the original Patois, translated and explained.
- A candid account of building a 35-year career culminating in American public leadership, from the ground up.
- A love story seven years in the making—lost, and unexpectedly found again.
For immigrants in general and Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora—whether in New York, London, Toronto, Miami, or beyond—this memoir feels like a family conversation. It honors the immigrant journey so many of us know: the pride in where we come from, the quiet sacrifices, our boundless ambitions despite inequities, and the tremendous value we bring to the countries we help build.
Whether you grew up with ackee and saltfish, reggae rhythms, and yard wisdom, or you simply want to understand the Jamaican spirit more deeply, this book offers something rare: inspiration rooted in real life and cultural truth.
If you are looking for a story that will make you reflect, laugh, cry, and feel empowered in your own journey, Life Lessons from Two Worlds: My Jamaican-American Journey is for you.
A book for every Jamaican, every Caribbean son and daughter, and everyone who believes in the quiet power of resilience and cultural pride.
