Caribbean Books

The Avant-Garde And Geopolitics In Latin America is a close study of cannonical Latin American avant-garde texts of the 1920s and 1930s, including novels, travel writing, journalism, and poetry, revealing them as seeds of modern Western culture and precursors of global culture. Author Fernando J. Rosenberg (asst. professor, Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese, Yale University) scrutinizes the long-term global and political implications of Latin American literature, supporting his conclusions with extensive notes and references. Especially recommended for Latin American literature and history students, The Avant-Garde And Geopolitics In Latin America an advanced discourse of cultural reverberations that far transcend their decade, and even their century, of origin.

This is one of the best books about the Aztecs I have seen. Despite its price it offers great and beautiful color photographs as well as very interesting and well written essays. You will not regret it!!!

I bought this CD for my son who is autistic as a Christmas present. It was very entertaining and enjoyable for my son--it was good to hear him sit and laugh. The CD also taught some valuable life lessons as well. Bobby Norfolk is one of my favorite storytellers--I got to see him in person at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and I was thrilled to discover that he had recorded his stories on CD. He truly transports you to another world--the world of his imagination. I will definitely purchase more of his CDs. Listen to Bobby Norfolk for yourself and appreciate his talent and humor.

Peter Barratt's Bahama Saga: The Epic Story of the Bahama Islands lives up to its title. The epic is a sensuous sweep of Bahamian history, a vivid result of his love affair with the Islands. From the first chapter, when humans set foot in the Americas, to the last chapter, when the flag of Independence lifts into the Bahamian sky, Barratt's epic is richly textured with historical detail and human motivation.
"Saga" is a wonderful cross-genre, a blurring of distinctions between genres as with opera and straight play. Barratt's cast of fictional personalities plays against the backdrop of exciting episodes in Bahamian history complete with their choruses of fated Lucayans, lustful Spaniards, adventurous Bermudians, bold pirates, enslaved Africans, exiled Loyalists, thirsty rum-runners, sun-worshipping tourists.
The book is structured in two parts. In Part I, the Lucayans discover and colonize the Bahamas; Columbus and the Conquistadors re-discover and de-populate the Bahamas. Part II follows the major waves of re-colonization by the Eleutheran Adventurers, African Slaves and American Loyalists; the book closes with chapters on Emancipation and the political/economic development of the Bahamas.
The author uses an informal voice, even for the historical narration. In true "saga" fashion, asides and digressions abound to enlighten and amuse. In much the style of classic epics or 18th century English novels, Barratt's historical and fictional narratives mix and mingle as he traces two families of different races down through the centuries until they merge at the end.
Barratt creates the story of Tsgot, the first explorer to discover the Bahama Islands. Tsgot's ancestors were the Asians who crossed the land bridge to discover and settle the continents of North and South America and later the major islands of the Caribbean. Once colonization of the Bahamas began and trade was established, other Lucayan adventurers set out in their dugout canoes to explore more islands. In his depiction of this Lucayan odyssey, Barratt evokes magical images with sumptuous descriptions of the pristine islands and a thesaurus of colors to paint the water. As he introduces each island discovered, he forecasts the role those islands will play to future visitors as the centuries move on. One island, Grand Bahama, is significant in that today The Lucayan National Park, founded by the author, preserves a 40-acre portion of the "golden isle" first enjoyed by the Lucayans as their canoes rode the "crystal clear waters" of the "fast-moving creek ... arched over with vegetation," which was for them and for us "a magical journey."

Very informative book regarding social culture of the past. Puts society into a time perspective.

I read this book one afternoon in the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain. I was trying to have a quick glimpse on what Trinidad was about. Lawrence Scott brought me into a journey of personal experiences reflected into others. From that moment on many of my own personal experiences of Trinidad flashes back into this book. Highly recomended. Marcos Barinas

Is a nice instrutive book. Es un libro muy bueno escrito en Español. Es una denuncia a Castro. Podemos ver cuanto pasan los balseros cubanos para cruzar el mar. Es una historia real muy bonita. Se las recomiendo.

This book is well researched and very informative. A few of the essays were a little boring to me but the rest more than make up for it. My favorites were by Cindy Forster, Steve Striffler and the conclusion essay (who I forget already the writer) are excellent. These essays give you a look at not only the industry but the people involved and how a single funny fruit has shaped many peoples' way of life. This book is also interesting for the history about how a corporation can care for nothing but money and short change people, their governments and the environment as a way of doing profitable business. I gained a lot of information on how corporations as businessmen do not make wise farmers. I learned quite a bit else but I'll just say I recommend starting with Striffler's essay because it reads as a really good story.

As a nation at war with a country we don't understand, we all need to read this book as well as Mr. Langley's other book "Banana Men". Forget your political ideology and read a well documented account of how the United states tries to shape Central America in their own image, gets bored with it and spawns the conflicts in the 1980s. Mr. Langley gives a quick paced vivid account of the intervention in Central America and the Caribbean. He tells the story of some of the most flamboyant characters in American history. From Chesty Puller stopping a riot by jumping on a crate with his Thompson machine guns blazing to the last words of the diplomat in Haiti asking why the Haitians wanted the Americans out. The Haitian official's statement was to the effect of "Yes, our country is a mess, but it's our mess, Please leave".

Read this book it will give you a great perspective about good intentions and how they can go wrong when you don't understand the people you are trying to "help". Could go a long way in understanding our current intervention.

I got this book as soon as it came out. The poetry is on point. There are some really great essays in here from former gang members from the 1950s and 1960s. The writings in this book give slices of history. It also delves into the mindsets of why people join gangs. I also like that this book shows different perspectives, in addition to the gang members and former gang members, this book also features pieces from those affected by gang life, the mothers, sisters, girlfriends.

Ok, I do have to admit, I have a poem published in this book, but I would have bought this book regardless.