Caribbean Books

Libro de poesía creativa, existencial y divertida, aleja la trizteza y expresa el contenido diario de la vida, solo vivir, contar o escribir tu verdad.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BOOK AND VERY USEFUL FOR PEOPLE, LEKE ME, INTERESTED IN
COVARRUBIAS' WORK. CONGRATULAIONS MISS WILLIAMS

I remeber reading this book in Antigua Girls' High School. Nice and funny. A definite for any child growing up in the West Indies.

Creole America: The West Indies And The Formation Of Literature And Culture In The New Republic by Sean X. Goudie (English Department, Vanderbilt University) explores how literary culture in the New Republic era became framed amid a background of both expansionist desires of the North American continent and a push for commercial empire along the routes of West Indian trades. George Washington's Secretary of the Treasury and West Indian immigrant Alexander Hamilton came to personify the unease felt by Americans about the relations between the slave colonies of the West Indies and the supposedly free and democratic states of the independent mainland, a state of mind that Goudie terms the "creole complex". Chapters scrutinize the resulting repercussions on literary expression and daily culture in the annals of history. A serious, college-level scholarly dissection of cross-cultural dynamics.

The small South American nation of Suriname (also spelled "Surinam") is one of the most linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse nations on the earth. A former Dutch colony, Suriname has a population consisting of several distinct cultural groups. One of the most remarkable aspects of Surinamese life is Sranan Tongo, the creole language which is unique to this country.

In "Creole Drum," editors Jan Voorhoeve and Ursy M. Lichtveld have assembled a marvelous anthology of Sranan Tongo texts. The book's useful bilingual format has the original Sranan Tongo on each even-numbered page, with Vernie A. February's English translation on the facing page.

This is more than just an anthology; the book is a richly informative introduction to Surinamese history and to the Sranan Tongo language. The explanatory essays and appendices, together with a useful bibliography and index, make this book an outstanding reference work.

But the heart of "Creole Drum" is the collected and translated literature. Included are traditional folksongs and folktales, a selection of prose writings of 19th century author Johannes King, selections from the Surinamese periodical "Foetoe-boi," examples of Surinamese poetry of the 1960s and 70s, and more.

Some of my favorite selections from "Creole Drum" were the poems of Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout, whose startling visions dramatize the conflict between Pagan and Christian religious practices in Suriname.

This book is a valuable contribution not only to Suriname studies, but also to the overlapping field of Creole language studies. Pidgin and creole languages are a worldwide phenomenon, and the editors of "Creole Drum" brilliantly illuminate the distinctive creole language of Suriname.

This is a thought-provoking book which will inspire readers to explore questions about race, religion, national identity, ethnicity, and language politics. But more than that, it contains some startlingly powerful and beautiful literature which should be enjoyed as much as studied. The Surinamese poet Henny F. de Ziel, who uses the pseudonym "Trefossa," wrote "A true poem is another land. . . / A true poem is made of words that linger on." "Creole Drum" will take you to another land, and the best of its offerings will linger in your soul.

The poems alone (in both Spanish and English) make this a worthy investment for your library. The scholarly, personal and journalistic essays as well as the vivid photographs selected carefully to accompany each poem make for a collection that brings you as close as possible to the scenes, effects and emotions of this moment in recent history.

Collaborative compiled and edited by the team of Corinne L. Hofman, Menno L.P. Hoogland, and Annelou L. van Gijn, Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean is an anthology of essays by a diverse array of global experts concerning the latest methodologies and techniques applied to the study of archaeological materials from the Caribbean. Individual studies discuss the advantages and disadvantages of specific, newly created techniques, and each new approach is exemplified with a case study. A straightforward narrative historical background of the study of Caribbean archaeological materials is also provided, for quick and easy reference. An index enhances this extensively researched, in-depth, up-to-date guide, enthusiastically recommended for Caribbean studies and college library shelves.

Perhaps it is Phipps' virtues as a painter that invigorate these poems with so much lush color and gorgeous visual detail. Her poems are also full of music--her Caribbean lullabies and fierce stories. CROSSROADS AND UNHOLY WATER is an amazing and mature debut!

Can't imagine sailing in Belize without this resource! It's really the only one out there. That said, one must rely on their own navigation skills along with the advice in this book--things change every year... Great book!

The "Cruising Guide To Cuba" covers in great detail in a first person narrative the entire coast and all of the coastal cities, ports, and harbors, i.e., about ninety percent of what is worth seeing in Cuba. Written as a first person memoir, the book is extremely readable as a novel, with local customs and situations described extensively to place the reader in Cuba, at the docks, talking with the friendly Customs guards and mechanics. Having been to Havana many times, I find the character of the country better captured in this book than in any travel guide or any other book about Cuba, including "Our Man in Havana". With humor, fairness, and keen insight into the truly comfortable Latin American way of doing things such as living intelligently with spontaneity and vitality, Charles goes farther than anyone to rectify the embedded Yanqui mistrust of Cuba by describing actual experiences which let the reader know that the embargo against that counrty has resulted in a great loss to our people: knowledge and understanding of one of the most beautiful places, and most enlivening cultures on earth. This seems to be one of those classics like "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" which some readers will dismiss as too narrow for their general interests. This book is as much about boats and cruising as that classic was about machinery: it is in there, but there is a wonderful, on-going essay about cultures, philosophy, and, without asking it directly, the one big question: who has lost the most in the ridiculous campaign of hatred against this proud, historically magnificent country, us or them? There are other cruising guides to Cuba which are dry and obviously format and budget driven. There are similar travel guides by the usual publishers for inland excursions. "The Cruising Guide To Cuba" stands out because it is obviously a labor of love, written by a man and his mate who have spent years in research and preparation; some seven months alone for the second edition just to circumnavigate the island one more time. Other authors write of Cuba as they would any other assignment, with predictable and often useful factual results, as if they are writing about a beautiful actress they saw on stage and later interviewed. This book goes far beyond the quick glance infatuation, as if the author went to the beautiful woman's house and lived with her intimately and came away with enduring respect and admiration. A sage exile architect I know listened to my account of feeling miserable for not having been to Havana in over a year. "Yes," he said, "it started as lust, but then it turned to sincere love, and you cannot forget her, can you? None of us can." Forget the leg shows and cigars; Cuba without those pop buzz topics is a direct shock to the heart, it will leave you wondering why we remain so poorly informed about one of the most relaxing and desirable places on earth. Charles' book brings that message across, with respect and admiration for what is actually there and what it is like to be there. In the same way that "The Old Man and The Sea" was not necessarily about fishing, this cruising guide is not necessarily just about boats and charts, although as just that, it is worth the price.