95-year-old author celebrates new book rooted in resilience, reflection

2026-03-21 - 23:35

At 95, Yvonne Bobb-Smith is still doing what she has loved since childhood: reflecting on life, telling stories, and inviting others to think more deeply about the human experience. The recent celebration of her 95th birthday came with another milestone, the warm reception of her recently published book “Whose Child are You?” and its unusually creative launch. “Whose Child Are You” is not Bobb-Smith’s first book, but it is a very personal project, a biography that chronicles the many decades of Bobb-Smith’s incredible and long life. Instead of a conventional launch and reading, Bobb-Smith transformed the event into a literary musical drama, blending excerpts from the book with music and performance. The response from those who attended, and from readers abroad, has left her basking in what she calls the “sunshine” of the feedback. Writing has always been part of her life. As a child, Bobb-Smith discovered early that she enjoyed putting thoughts on paper, but in parallel, her upbringing was not an easy one. Orphaned young, she often felt that no one took complete responsibility for her care. Life, she recalls, was deeply uncertain, and although she lived relatively comfortably, albeit without an abundance of money and resources, what was even more difficult was the dearth of emotional support. Those early experiences planted the seeds for the resilience and introspection that would later shape her journey, her writing and her philosophy. Although she eventually found stability as an adopted child and was able to attend secondary school, the emotional foundations were fragile. She pursued her education at Tranquillity Intermediate School for Girls and then at Bishop Anstey High School in the 1940s. Leaving school in 1949, she got a job as a library assistant and began her adult life. As she grew into adulthood, Bobb-Smith still carried with her a lingering sense of being “less than” others. Yet through self-examination, something she has practised since her teenage years, she slowly redefined herself. Friends played a pivotal role in that transformation. During those young years, Bobb-Smith belonged to a lively “group of sophisticated friends” that gathered every Friday to “lime,” discussing politics, singing songs and sharing jokes. One evening, as the group sang together, she quietly volunteered to be the backup singer. When her song ended, the applause surprised her. Her friends declared, “Yvonne, you’re so brave.” That moment, simple as it was, was one of the shifts where she felt not as timid or inadequate, but as someone capable of stepping forward. Her path soon expanded beyond Trinidad and Tobago. In the 1950s, during a party conversation, someone casually asked whether she would like to study abroad. When she said yes, she was invited to visit the office the next day. That encounter led to an opportunity through a Canadian government scheme that allowed her to migrate to Canada. In Canada, Bobb-Smith worked in domestic service before securing a job in a library. While there, she pursued her education with determination, eventually earning two university degrees before returning home to complete a PhD. For Bobb-Smith, work has always been more than employment; it is a source of joy and meaning. She often says that loving work allows a person to love life itself. That philosophy has sustained her through many chapters, including one of the most difficult: her repeated battles with cancer. Diagnosed seven times, she is currently managing the illness through medication. Yet she insists that because she loves her work and remains intellectually engaged, she does not experience her days as defined by illness. Her intellectual curiosity stretches beyond academia. Teachers once described her as “talkative,” a label that may have been intended as criticism but which she later embraced as a sign of engagement with the world. Since her teens, Bobb-Smith has considered herself “a philosophical person,” who doesn’t follow any one religion but reads a lot on philosophy and explores ideas from many traditions. One principle that has stayed with her from the teachings of prophets and philosophers alike is the importance of self-examination. “Many people,” she argues, “are quick to defend their actions but reluctant to examine themselves and reflect on their actions honestly.” That spirit of reflection shaped her approach to teaching and writing her books, and storytelling plays a central element in her life. It was one of her students who eventually encouraged her to write a book when she was already 90 years old, a suggestion that would lead to the work now gaining attention. Bobb-Smith believes storytelling is one of the most effective ways to explore moral and social questions. By bringing real experiences into the conversation, she says, people can better understand how to judge situations and navigate their own lives. The launch itself reflected her lifelong love of culture. Instead of simply reading from the book, she staged a performance that intertwined literature with music and theatre. Passages about empowered women in the 19th and 20th centuries were paired with songs by calypso legend Mighty Sparrow, including “Yvonne,” while the closing segment used Shadow’s “Dingolay.” At one point during the celebration, when Luther Vandross’s “Dance With My Father Again” played, Bobb-Smith herself took to the floor, lifted by a dance partner as the audience enthusiastically supported her dancing. Even at 95, Bobb-Smith continues to reflect on the world with clarity and conviction. She encourages young women, especially, to practice positive thinking and critical reflection, arguing that too often education systems neglect the teaching of critical thinking. Define yourself, she advises. “If you believe you can be a queen, then act like one and do not accept standards beneath you. If someone asks if you want lime juice and then gives you water, don’t take it.” She also encourages young women to harness the power of positive thinking and apply it to their lives rather than choosing to see things through a negative lens. On a broader level, Bobb-Smith also hopes society can move beyond rigid classifications such as men versus women, insisting that feminist conversations about equality must include everyone. When she is not writing or reflecting, 95-year-old Yvonne Bobb-Smith keeps herself young, dancing, listening to music, tending to her beloved plants with the help of caregivers, and remembering the many times she played mas in Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. Her life, like her book, remains a testament to resilience, curiosity and an enduring love for humanity. See more on page 28