Caribbean Books

I first started looking for a good cookbook about two and a half years ago. I looked at caribbean cookbooks and they generally wouldn't include a single East Indian recipe...not even roti! I saw this cookbook here on amazon, but since there were no customer reviews and the price was high, I didn't buy it. I went on buying Indian cookbooks, but always being disapointed, as India is a large country with diverse cooking styles and my family left India for the Caribbean as indentured servants a few generations ago. Indo-Caribbean cuisine is like a sub-field of Indian cuisine, with a unique way of seasoning, like how Punjabi and Tamil recipes differ from one another, or how Italian and Italian-American recipes differ. I finally bought this book used for $25.00 last week and...AMEN. It's perfect. It has everything you're looking for; aloo pie, gulab jamoon, barfee/milk fudge, pumpkin talkari, pulorwrie, dal puri, paratha, kurma, mango kuchilla, doubles, saheena, halwa, jalebi, curry same/seim, kalounjee, mango anchar, aloo choka etc. It's perfect for home cooking, large family gatherings and even for special and grand occasions. The recipes are all vegetarian, but trust me you won't even really notice; anyone of Indian descent can curry a goat ;). This book has it all. The only recipe I wish it had is aloo tikki. Other than that, it is exactly what I was hoping for and so much more. About half of the recipes are grouped in photographs. Indian cooking terms, utensils, and spices and herbs are pictured and explained. This book is great, if I had known how good it was two and a half years ago I would have bought it at that high price...it's worth it.

This timely collection of papers by a number of eminent anthropologists explores patterms of ethnicity in the Caribbean. A valuable contribution to current literature in the field, these papers greatly increase our understanding of Caribbean societies. The variety of theoretical approaches to the processes that shaped Caribbean ethnic relations make this work a fascinating and vital study of the region as a whole. Table of Contents: "Caribbean Ethnicity Revisited; Editor's Introduction," by Stephen D. Glazier. "Ethnicity in the Spanish Caribbean:Notes on the Consolidation of Creole Identity in Cuba and Puerto Rico," by Jorge Duany. "Race and Ethnicity in the United States Virgin Islands," by Klaus de Albuquerque and Jerome L. McElroy. "To Be or Not to Be Chinese: Differential Expressions of Chinese Culture and Solidarity in the British West Indies," by Thomas A. Shaw. "Ethnic Particpation in Orange Walk Economic Development," by C. Thomas Brockmann "The Caribs of Dominica," by Anthony Layng. "New Ethnicity, New Horizons," by Morton Klass. Epilogue: The Meaning of Ethnicity in the Caribbean," by Leonard B. Glick.

In Wendy's second cookbook (the other is "Quick Fixin' Recipes") she continues to create dishes that appeal to the palate without requiring elaborate preparation. Using ingredients common to both Caribbean and North American / European kitchens, these dishes are an absolute delight!

Whether a homey meal redolent of growing up in the Caribbean, or an elegant gourmet dish, these flavours are easy to prepare and a pleasure to serve.

Joining others in the 'Folklore Handbooks' series is a winning collection of Caribbean folklore perfect for high school or college collections seeking authoritative regional folklore guides. From examples and texts to definitions and classifications of Caribbean folklore, this reference covers customs, culture, and literary and social contexts alike, and is a key to understanding the body of literature on Caribbean folklore.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book and "the doorknob of destiny" are two of my all-time favorite children's books. The stories are campy, funny, and engaging, and the illustrations are wonderfull.

It's apparent from reading this title that the author really knows her stuff. She's spent 30 years island hopping the Caribbean and it shows in her grasp of local cultures and her ability to sniff out the authentic in every town. In a crowded field of Caribbean guidebooks, this title truly excels.

The book pulls no punches...tells it like it is. It gives the latest information and is well written and organized. If you plan to travel in the Caribbean, it is well worth the read. You can plan the places to go to and the places to stay away from. It is for the inexperienced traveler, and the experienced alike. Spend the 13 bucks and get informed before you plan your trip.

A very comprehensive and informative book on the The Virgin, Leeward and Windward Islands. It is an easy read and packed with relevant information for the tourist.

It is unfortunate that this book is no longer in print.

I am sure that a re-print would be economically viable.

"You haven't experienced the Caribbean until you know what an island tastes like, what it sounds like, what it smells like and how it feels--including its mud and thorns," writes M. Timothy O'Keefe in Caribbean Hiking, a new book detailing almost 400 hikes on 30 islands. Filled with regional maps, plus tips on gear and safety, this is the definitive guide for hot-weather adventurers interested in more than sunshine and beaches. (OUTSIDE Magazine, Dec. 2001, p. 124)

A fast paced story, "Caribbean Holiday" has all the ingredients of a perfect suspense thriller. Wealthy Arabs employ Sextus Durkin to kidnap Augustus Bishop, a rich, enterprising individual, who controls a large uranium mine. Bishop only sells to contractors erecting or maintaining power plants, not to anyone interested in developing weapons. However, many Arab nations are interested in the uranium in order to develop weapons grade atomic material. To complicate matters further, Bishop and Sextus are half-brothers by their father.
A lion and gorilla are involved in Sextus' risky power game. Neurosurgeons working in Bishop's South African Medical Laboratory implanted a twelve-month dry chip in the cerebrum of each animal. Because of the chips, both beasts follow voice commands and are traceable. Sextus' women add intrigue and mystery to the story. Moore packs his novel full of adventure, including a thrilling journey in Bishop's yacht and submarine and also escapades on St. Kitts Island. During these aquatic quests, the peculiar behavior of dolphins and sharks is noticed and becomes central to the plot. Conspiracy, casinos, brutal murders, and suspense, this thrilling novel is sure to keep its readers on the edge of their seat from the first to the last word.