Caribbean Books

First of all, I was surprised with this robust hardcover. More than 1600 pages, making it uneasy to read it as we do with most of the books. But it is an extraordinary portrait of the Argentine cultural life in almost forty years of friendship between two great intellectuals . Reading through pages we can meet Borges, family and friends as they really are, in daily conversations about almost everything. I was admired with Bioy capacity of registering detailed discussions, and document Borges perspective on poetry, prose, writers and polititians. A wonderful book.

This brief review is based on the information and analysis given in the review of David Gallagher which appeared in the Times Literary Supplement.
In this massive diary Borges is revealed to be a systematic debunker of many of the greats of world- literature. This is in total contradiction to the generally admiring way he writes about Literary figures in his own stories, and poems. And it in a sense works to undermine the 'image' most readers have of him as reader and lover of Literature.
Secondly, Bioy reveals in this work Borges' awkwardness and lack of success with women. Borges is shown in this regard as a ridiculous figure. He is also revealed to be a bit of a misogynist as he speaks of women as 'incapable of abstract thought'.
Thirdly , we are always eager to know more about the great geniuses. Borges is unquestionably one of the great literary geniuses of the twentieth century. His way of writing and perceiving the world, and of understanding literature and life changes , or may change the way we read the whole tradition of world- literature. Thus there is a tremendous amount of material here which will be gobbled up by Borges' many fans.
However Gallagher says that there are no real insights into Borges work. This has to be viewed as a major shortcoming.
Gossip can be fun, and this diary is full of literary gossip. But the work in making Borges seem an ungenerous ingrate to many writers also diminishes him.
Perhaps part of this is Bioy's own hidden rivalry with his best friend, collaborator, who nonetheless was on another level entirely when it came to literary creation.

This book was reissued in a new edition by U. of Texas Press in 1999. In fact you used to list it regularly. Why is it not there now?

This is a superb introduction to the fiction of the great Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges that should serve as a model for works of its type. All too often, studies of major authors degenerate into studies not of the writer in question but meta-studies on all manner of theoretical matters. The best criticism takes the reader not into the heart of a theory, but into the work of the writer being discussed, and Bell-Villada takes the reader deep into the heart of Borges?s strange and marvelous world.

The book is divided into three sections. The first part is largely biographical, hitting the highpoints of Borges?s life, as well as exploring some aspects of his personality. The author also discusses many of the relevant aspects of Argentine society and politics. This is done with considerable sympathy with Borges, despite the obvious sharp political differences between the author and Borges. In fact, one of the great appeals of the book as a whole is the fact that the author feels some distance from Borges at a number of points. All too often, critics turn into fans of writers, tending to see in them other versions of themselves, often becoming admirers because of a host of shared values. The author clearly finds Borges?s political positions late in life troubling, but hardly admires him as a creative writer any the less for that.

The bulk of the book consists of finely nuanced, detailed discussions of Borges?s major fictional works. For those unaware, Borges, while famed as one of the great writers of the past century, actually produced a rather minute body of work. His entire fictional output in English translation amounts to scarcely more than 500 pages. Of this output, much of that?mainly his first collection of stories and much of his later work?falls short of his best work. Most of his great work is contained in FICCIONES and EL ALEPH, an astonishingly small body of work for a writer of such stature. Bell-Villada discusses all of these stories with great insight, including such details surrounding their publication or context that are relevant. The final section of the book details with Borges?s final works, and includes an interesting discussion of some of the political questions connected with his work.

One thing that makes this book especially useful is that it can be equally useful both to specialists in the field of Latin American literature and readers encountering Borges?s work for the first time. And betraying my own bias, it never, ever gets bogged down in mere theorizing. The focus is always on Borges?s work itself, and not on considerations extraneous matters.

Your poetry is beautiful! I've just been reading it aloud to myself. Like a piece of Beethoven it's beauty resonates in that mysterious place.

Bianca Rossini's "A Brazilian Heart" is a collection of poems with a theme so powerful
that, at times, it takes your breath away with its pungency. It is the distillation of light and love and the pain of being alive.

It brings together three ingredients: The powerful dream of complete gravitational attraction--the helpless falling together of bodies, the opposing-almost nuclear force--the struggle for self-existence when surrounded by the madness of pure (but irresistible) love, and finally the binding glue of sensuality which suffuses the characters, as in a daguerreotype. Who has not craved a love so powerful that it justifies all? One that engulfs every molecule of ones body, the "endless passion of endless love, for my heart only desired to be one with yours", the " love that fills my veins misses you like a turning tide that goes deeper into the Earth than it penetrates". Those who have entered those walls of almost headlong love know its power. For those who have passed that way--the attraction of "A Brazilian Heart" is almost impossible to resist--like the enigmatic photo of the author on the front cover. The words are intoxicating--drawing one deeper and deeper into a world that is suffused in love. Love at its best--most pure--a brilliant light, red sensual leaves, bodies of touch and caressing--a love that is both wild and bright, but also ruby-red and dangerous.

For the author knows too much. She knows that danger lurks at the blood-red core of such a passionate existence. The collection of poems are threaded with a warning so powerful, so possible, so real: the danger of being duped. As in "Amor Assassinardo (Murdered Love)" the poem at the core of this nuclear pile of the book (literally near the physical center of the text) we find, "But the serpent danced like a true lover and made believe your heart was true", and " Although later you trampled in all that was sacred...".

This poem, central to the thesis of the opposing forces (togetherness and separateness) is a dramatic piece of work which brought me to tears on each reading because of its clear power--the ideal of falling together, but the possibility (if not reality) that your partner may not be as sincere as you.
The terrible danger that you are being "led on". It is a double-edged sword because to know true unfettered love, you must go there--you must believe and trust. But to go there is to put yourself in grave danger of massive loss if your partner does not share (or even worse pretends) your love.

Just beyond the melt-down core of the book, "Murdered Love", the reader encounters three versions of "Vision". Within each vision we see, with increasing intensity, the resistive side of human nature. The poems draw the reluctant lover (unsure of his commitment to something so powerful) towards true love. Somehow he holds back, unable to fly--unable to trust and follow her. These poems, which could easily be set to music or dance (something the multi-talented author is quite capable of), have an operatic intensity. They allow one to see that fear in the eyes of the faint-hearted, and how, to truly enter the deep world created by Bianca Rossini, one must truly believe that it is possible. I, for one, am drawn into the magic of her world.

An almost domination/submission quality is revealed in another view of how two lovers may fall together in absolute entanglement. In "Vampire's Dance", the woman begins to gives up her freedom to be everything to him, but at the last minute pronounces " Run, you must run far away if you are to stay alive...". Again the conflict. Again the fierce opposition of togetherness and separateness and the sheer power of the forces involved. Within the human heart. Within the Brazilian Heart of the author.

The book glows with sensuality, in words and images of light and darkness (the illustrations by Carmem Gusmao and others are amazing, and add to this other-worldly quality that runs through the pages). It is a microcosm of real-life, of our dreams for "true-love" and the fear of deep entanglement. However, the poems are suffused with an optimism and a belief that, if only one could be honest and true, we could enter the special world of light and joy. If only one could trust and give enough of oneself, that true happiness is attainable and within everyone's grasp. In the final poem (A Chave-The Key) we find real wisdom. To find true happiness one must take control of ones destiny: One must be courageous to be the one who opens the door. I firmly believe that this book is a wonderful tribute to human existence and a celebration of life at its most glorious. I, for one, despite the warning labels, would fly headlong into the maelstrom again. I strongly recommend this book for those who dare to fly into the building storm!

Because of the popularity of Pirates of the Caribbean, many books about pirates have been published in the past few years. Most are light-weight works.

The Buccaneer's Realm is Berenson Little's second "backgrounder" about pirates. This former US Navy SEAL officer wants the reader to understand the world that the pirate lived in. This is not the easiest book to read because of the myriad of detail the author presents, but the "ordeal" is well worth the effort

This is one of several excellent books I've read recently about pirates.
My interest was originally sparked in 1995 with David Cordingly's "Under the Black Flag" because this book pictured the privateers/pirates as sea-going guerrillas.

Beside "The Republic of Pirates", the following are worth reading:
Peter Earle Pirate Wars
The Sack of Panama
Stephan Talty Empire of Blue Water
Benerson Little The Sea Rover's Practice
Richard Zacks The Pirate Coast
Frederick C. Leiner End of the Barbary Terror
Colin Woodard The Republic of Pirates
Together these works cover piracy from the late 16th to the early 19th Century.

In 1674 it's three years since Henry Morgan's pirates sacked Panama and peace is spreading - but buccaneers are set to seize opportunity from a failing Spanish Empire and Spain itself produces pirates which will lead to new challenges. Any college-level collection strong in marine history will appreciate this new in-depth focus on pirate culture and history, considering their deeds, the Spanish Main's world and sentiments, and pirate life as a whole. It's a lively survey recommended for any in-depth marine history collection - and many a general college-level world history holding.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

In response to the previous review:

This book was originally written in Dutch and first published in Amsterdam in 1678 - most texts refer to him as a French surgeon, as he originally came in contact with the buccaneers as a result of his 1666 journey to tortuga with the French West India Company. His name is spelled Alexander Exquemelin....

The events of the book cross reference fairly well with Spanish historical documents - most errors are in place names and dates, according to David Cordingly (british historian, and expert on all things pirate).

No one knows for sure the spelling of the man's name of his nationality, but in 1684 Alexander Esquemeling published in London a powerful, some say mendacious, personal reminiscence of Henry Morgan and other pirates. Histerical at times, this work brilliantly recreates Morgan's most memorable, indeed incredible adventures. A must read for anyone wishing to capture an authentic view of the Carribean during the period of pirates and the battles of Spanish main.

This is probably the original source for information of pirates. It contains such a vast compendium of information that it is difficult to select anyone in particular. The cruel reality of pirates is sometimes terrifying; however, in the context of their times this may not have been so shocking. Each reader will take away what they find most interesting. I find that the interaction between the pirates and the indigenous people of these island most intriguing.

This is a book about buccaneering written by one of the participants. Esquemeling was a Dutch physian who went to the Caribbean during the heyday of the Spanish Main. He was the surgeon to Henry Morgan's expedition against Panama City.

Like many educated men of his time, he tried to be a scientific observer of the New World. As a result, you'll see descriptions of flora and fauna of the Americas mixed in with anecdotes about the famous and near famous of the period. The phraseology can be stilted in places, but that is how people spoke at the time.

Is it worth reading? I certainly think so! It's valuable in the same way that Bernal Diaz's account of the conquest of Mexico is valuable, it gives a flavor for how the participants saw themselves. So, if you want real, this is it.

This is a very good book about the technology and issues surrounding silent movies. It is not a history of Hollywood and is not going to have descriptions of movies or pictures of silent film stars.

Usai begins with discussion of how silent movies would have been presented when they were first released. I had been big into silent movies and had seen around 90 of them before reading this and I learned some interesting facts here. He describes film speed issues. In the 20's and earlier film speed had not been standardized. So when a modern distributor does not account for this disparity the print they make may play too fast for a comical and distracting "fast forward" effect. Sound actually was a big part of "silent" movies. Soundtracks in the form of music matched to action were common. Color tinting was common in movies throughout the 20's but because color film does not age as well, the versions we have now are black and white. Usai goes into each of these issues in detail. Seeing and understanding the examples he lays out helps very much in understanding why silent film is represented in certain ways today. Reading this has helped me to identifying good restorations of silent film and to separate the quality of the movie from the quality of that particular release.

The title, Burning Passions, refers to the film stock and chemical processes at work that make the film decay even in an airtight vault. One distressing issue is that most film is beyond repair and restoration after about 80 years. Usai estimates a 100 year max, but that max depends on many many storage "ifs". Storage concerns are addressed, including the extreme flammability of silver nitrate film stock (it produces oxygen as it burn and so will continue to burn under water). Issues surrounding preservation issues are discussed, including the extent to which a warped or scratched film can be repaired. Usai also connects back to the economics of film preservation. Money is only going to be available if there is commercial demand for these films. Hence the earlier section about film presentation and the quality of a restoration. Discussion of issues surrounding film preservation and storage are well written and easy to read even though they deal with chemistry and more dry subject matter. (One omission in Usai's book is discussion of how copyright restrictions impede preservation. The 1998 Sony Bono Copyright Term Extension Act set copyright at a minimum of 90 years - longer than the lifespan of film stock, and is retroactive to include works created after 1926. An excellent discussion of this issue, which emerged after Usai's book was released in 1995, can be found in Free Culture by Lessig.)

If you are interested in film preservation or are into silent film then this is a must read book. Usai writes in clear and accessible language and the book is very readable. University libraries should make a copy available for researchers and the curious to access.

This book is indispensable to the collector who wishes to travel to the archives around the world to view rare films not on video. Highly recommended, informative, and interesting.

This text was very well written. To this reader who was also reared on Lamming and Naipaul and the rest, there is nothing more gratifying than a beautiful sentence, and Neptune gives us lots of those. Lovely. The spicy tale of the Yanks in the Windies is, as Neptune insists, sometimes glossed over as a Williams-inspired legacy floats on in our various discussions. But indeed, none of what happened during or after the Americans populated Chaguaramas en masse is as cut-and-dry as your average old-time calypso would have you believe. Neptune pieces together a refreshing new narrative that thrusts agency back into women's fingers, exposes the clandestine operations of white hegemony's champions and re-weaves the threads of Trinidadian nationalism. All the while, he delights us with clever, modern usage of the contemporary language rapport during the occupational shenanigans subtly and tastefully. It is a lovely read for anyone, and West Indians in particular will probably be quite tickled throughout. The "Coda" was quite a teaser, particularly the last couple of paragraphs. Neptune opens a world of conversational possibilities for his future books, which you'll be eagerly anticipating after putting this one down.

Peace!

I confess I've never been one to pick up an 'academic' history book in hopes of getting a pleasurable read, however this book breaks the scholarly mold. Though I find Neptune to be heady and thoroughly introspective, his writing lacks, and thankfully so, the jargon and esotericism that can keep me from connecting with a book. 'Caliban and the Yankees' brings up some great and interesting points about revolution and forced me to revisit my image of the revolutionist--here, the disenfranchised people finally get recognition for an often overlooked branch of intelligence that can not be studied in the universities or acquired through a privileged upbringing.
The US occupation in Trinidad, as told by Neptune, becomes a salacious tale of race and class relations, the construction of a national identity and the people who took it upon themselves to reshape and define the culture of its land for the history of its future.
Not only a solid read, but a good one.

Afro-Caribbean Philosophy? Is there such as thing? Antiguan scholar-activist Paget Henry makes this question moot by more than introducing the reader to Afro-Caribbean philosophical thought. He shows magically how the thought of black peoples in the Caribbean has changed not only the region, but the world. He dedicates the work to some of the 'anchors' of Afro-Caribbean thought(Frantz Fanon, C.L.R. James, Sylvia Wynter, and Wilson Harris), and also to fellow Antiguan Tim Hector(author of the literary column "Fan the Flame"). Invoking the Shakespearean metaphor of Caliban(the Arawak, Slave, descendent of both) from Shakespeare's "The Tempest," Henry shows how peoples of the Caribbean have had reason and rationality that has survived the Middle Passage and racist notions of European Enlightenment era philosophies. He starts off by framing the African philosophical heritage of the Caribbean, then discusses the work of Fanon, James, and Harris. He then moves on to the work of Sylvia Wynter, a critique of Jurgen Habermas's notion of communicative reason and rationality(a thinker whose discussions lack the role of myth and to a lesser extent race in the discourse of political philosophy), a Caribbean perspective of Afro-American philosophy, the state of Caribbean Marxism, and delves into Pan-Africanist thought. The overarching categories Henry deliniates in the book are two traditions of Caribbean black thought and activism: (1) the poeticists and (2) the historicists. Henry concludes with attempting to link these two traditions and show how futher contributions from Caribbean peoples can further humanity in understanding the relavance of black thought. If you want to be exposed to the world of Afro-Caribbean philosophy, run and pick up this extraordinary and challenging book.

Not just because the author is a fellow Antiguan, but because his work is brilliant he deserves nothing less that 5 stars for "Caliban's Reason".

First of all the text is incredibly well written, with sophisticated language and lucid literary skill. Second of all, it is extremely well balanced and objective in the telling of historical events. Third it is wonderfully scholarly and well organized.

Paget first introduces West Indian origins of philosophical thought in their African roots and then expands of the creolization of such thought under slavery and colonialism and the later African Renaissance that reaffirmed the African aspects of West Indian philosophy in the early 20th Century into the 21st.

This is a very important book, because is concerned with a contemporaty issue because of the 500 years of american colonization. Since the Handbook of South American Indians,organized by Julian Steward no other enterprise of this kind was made. It is very important to us, american, to know better our indians. From the academic point of view, this book contributes with wide informations congregating researchers and the results of its reflexions together in only one place. It is really good to find in one volume informations about several country. We have in this volume, contrasting views from the theoretical aproach that enrichs, we have, besides of historical perspectives, archeological focus about empires such as the Inka and discussions about colonialism and its damages upon the indigenous people. And neither the indigenous organization is forget in this volume, in this historical moment a surprisengly movement of this massacrated people who is strugling for their rights by their own voices. I would recommend this book to students, to specialists in anthropology and ethnologist and to whom is interested in history of America and in our present days. Last, I would mention the beauty of the volume and of the hardcover.

This is a very important book, because is concerned with a contemporaty issue because of the 500 years of american colonization. Since the Handbook of South American Indians,organized by Julian Steward no other enterprise of this kind was made. It is very important to us, american, to know better our indians. From the academic point of view, this book contributes with wide informations congregating researchers and the results of its reflexions together in only one place. It is really good to find in one volume informations about several country. We have in this volume, contrasting views from the theoretical aproach that enrichs, we have, besides of historical perspectives, archeological focus about empires such as the Inka and discussions about colonialism and its damages upon the indigenous people. And neither the indigenous organization is forget in this volume, in this historical moment a surprisengly movement of this massacrated people who is strugling for their rights by their own voices. I would recommend this book to students, to specialists in anthropology and ethnologist and to whom is interested in history of America and in our present days. Last, I would mention the beauty of the volume and of the hardcover.