New historical book released this month by Seychelles Tourism Chief

(eTN) – The Publisher of eTN, Juergen T.

(eTN) – The Publisher of eTN, Juergen T. Steinmetz, personally met with Alain St.Ange at the Routes Conference in Berlin, and they discussed Alain’s continued love for the history of the Seychelles and his new book set to leave the printers on October 27.

This will be the 6th book to be issued by Alain St.Ange, and this one is special for him as it is a document that retraces the life of his very own father – Karl St.Ange.

Alain St.Ange said that the book “Seychelles, Remembers Karl St.Ange… a great son of Seychelles, to an icon of La Digue” is a collection of pictures that will remind everyone of the life of Karl St.Ange who was born on December 31, 1919 and who died peacefully in an afternoon sleep on May 7, 2009.

The book attempts, through the eyes of one of his sons, to place on record who Karl St.Ange was, through a collection of pictures supplied by family members and by the many friends of this great man. Alain St.Ange said that the many messages of sympathy received at the time of his funeral has reminded the St.Ange family of the popularity of Karl St.Ange, and how he was liked, appreciated, and respected by a cross-section of the Seychellois population, and by everyone else who had the pleasure of knowing him.

The messages received, he said, inclusive of the personal message from Seychelles President James Michel, delivered by Vice President Joseph Belmont at his funeral, sums up his popularity. President Michelโ€™s message refers to Karl St.Ange as โ€œan historic figure, to a great son of Seychelles, to an icon of La Digue, to a patriot, but above all to a great friend, who inspired us in more ways than one.โ€

Seychellesโ€™ Former President James Mancham also published his own biography of Karl St.Ange in his Monthly Magazine, “Seychelles Review,” where he recounted his respect for a man who was a political adversary in the crucial early years of politics in Seychelles. Sir James Mancham said: โ€œKarl St.Ange, a planter turned politician, managed through his own style to โ€˜humanizeโ€™ politics. He remained to his final days, a person who was able to meet and discuss Seychelles with politicians from all political parties. I had the pleasure of knowing Karl St.Ange as a formidable political opponent who managed to win two consecutive elections against my partyโ€™s own candidates when politics was launched in Seychelles.โ€

Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, who has a passion for writing and for history, says that Karl St.Ange was a respected and loving father to his children, he was a true friend to all those who considered him a friend, and he was a mentor to the many who were associated with him. To use another quote from President Michelโ€™s message, he was โ€œa self-effacing, modest man, with a biting wit and a great sense of humor; Ton Karl was a man of the people – listening, caring, proffering advice, lending a hand here and there. He was never afraid of speaking his mind.โ€

Alain St.Ange, who has already published 5 other books, said that this 240-page book has also been inspired by the continued desire to document the history of the Seychelles and the life of those who were part of the Seychelles history. In 1984/1985, he said that he started collecting information for a St.Ange family document and that this has now materialized into this book, “Seychelles Remembers Karl St.Ange.” The original collection of pictures, documents, and information was shown, he said, to Karl St.Ange, and in October 1985 in his own handwriting, Karl St.Ange wrote a note about the collection of the documentation of the family’s history and that this note has now also been published in the book.

The book, “Seychelles, Remembers Karl St.Ange,” with ISBN Number 978-0-9871458-1-9 issued by Australia retraces the life of the St.Ange family ancestors and their hard work as planters and farmers. It covers Karl St.Ange’s political career that led him to become the first Vice President of the Seychelles People’s United Party (SPUP), the predecessor of the Seychelles’ ruling party, and of his participation as a candidate in four general elections of the country before being named Minister in the Seychelles’ Second Republic’s government. It also retraces his involvement in developing the Seychelles tourism industry and the construction of his own hotel, the “Cabane des Anges” on La Digue Island.

The book has the message issued by President James Michel, which was read at the funeral of Karl St.Ange, used as the forward, and it covers intimate personal family pictures of the life of Karl St.Ange from his days as a student, through his marriage and subsequent divorce, the life of his children in that era, the family’s celebrations, and ends with his life during his last days on La Digue and with his colorful funeral on the island of La Digue where he was born, grew up, and where he will be remembered for all he did.

In that same series of books, Alain St.Ange said that he is currently working on similar documents on former Presidents Albert Rene and on James Mancham.

About the author

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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