Caribbean Books

Chris Dixon has written the best scholarly book yet regarding the U.S. "Civil War" emigration to Haiti. It is not only exhaustive, but deeply analytical. His purpose was to demonstrate how this emigration and the ideas that spurred it reveal to us now the different intellectual and social dynamics of African American nationalisms. A book of serious scholarship, the main concern is African American (U.S. blacks) rather than Haiti. Yet, this book is a "must" for all interested in nineteenth century nationalisms, African American, and Haitian History.

Bettelheim has put together a gallery of art works by 25 noted younger, contemporary, Cuban artists. The closing section is on Belkis Ayon, who died in 1999. A representative work of each of the artists faces a one-page essay on him or her. Many of the pictured works are from the past year or two. The oldest are from the 1970s. It's an eye-opening catalog displaying the liveliness and imagination in Cuban art works on paper over the past 30 years. One sees that Cuban art has not been retarded by U. S. efforts to ostracize Cuban under the Castro regime; and that as far as its art goes, Cuba reflects the latest in modern and contemporary art with respect to content and style, and in some cases political and social perspective. The Afrocuban works on paper contain all of the irony, postmodern collage, and abstract and biological forms of art of any country, while at the same time reflect earthy African roots and the social tensions and artifices of Cuba. A professor of art history at San Francisco State U., Bettelheim area of concentration is the African Diaspora.

Dennis Scott's death in 1991 at the age of fifty-one deprived Anglo-Caribbean literature of one of its most powerful, and most refined lyric poets. Not capable of the epic range of Kamau Brathwaite or Derek Walcott, Scott's work, pithy, epigrammatic, and keenly observant was as energetic and empathetic as any of his contemporaries'.

This collection of poems written in the last decade or so of his life, some published in magazines (Such as 'Caviar and Sky Juice or C & S') others unpublished) edited by his friend and fellow poet Mervyn Morris does true justice to Scott's memory. It shows the full range of his ability as a poet, in his contemplation of life, love, his own Jamaican roots, and his impending death. Death is the thread that runs through the collection, but it is not a dark thread. Scott's humanity, and his love for his wife and children shine through the poems.

Though most are written in free, rhythmic form, it is clear that he was experimenting with formal styles. One of the poems is a sonnet, with a non-traditional rhyme scheme, but with proper division into octave and sestet. Other poems are rhymed, and have refrains. Still others have a spareness that suggests Chinese or Japanese influence. Scott, clearly, was reading and thinking to the very end.

This book should re-establish his reputation as one of Jamaica's and the Caribbean's most important writer's of the post-Independence generation. It is a book worth reading by any lover of poetry.

Alfonsina Storni had more guts than many men, although she was profoundly feminine, and, as she put it, she loved THE men. She used to say that she'd liked to have been a man "because you -the man- have the best part, that of the death and the hate". And she died as she liked to do, because she throw herself in the Atlantic Ocean, escaping thus of a cancer of her right breast, on October of 1938.

"Selected Poems," by Alfonsina Storni, brings together a wide selection of poems by an important Argentine poet. This volume has been edited by Marion Freeman, who also wrote the brief but informative biographical introduction. Unfortunately, this is not a bilingual edition; all of the poems are presented in English translation. The translations are by Freeman, Mary Crow, Jim Normington, and Kay Short.

Storni's poetry covers a number of topics. Some recurrent subjects include nature, women's issues, family, sorrow, and the urban environment. The specter of violence haunts many of her poems. At times, her sparse but elegant language, combined with a dark tone, reminds me of the work of United States poet Stephen Crane. At other times, the combination of sensuous, startling imagery and emotional nakedness reminds me of the work of Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos.

Editor Freeman has selected poems from eight of Storni's published volumes, as well as a selection of uncollected poems. One of her most striking poems is "Litany for a Dead Earth," an apocalyptic vision of a devastated world. Also excellent is "Fog," which uses fascinating imagery to describe a cityscape. Striking imagery is also used in her "Portrait of Garcia Lorca": "The Andalusian hills / of his cheekbones / and the trembling valley / of his mouth / are smothered in climbing vines."

In the first poem in this volume, Storni writes, "I am like the she-wolf. / I broke with the pack." Perhaps this describes her own approach to poetry. At any rate, hers was a remarkable voice, and this is a fine collection of her work. Those interested in Latin American literature or 20th century poetry should seek out this book.

Dr. Popovic has gathered many fine essays about Monterrey writer Alfonso Reyes. Borges described Reyes as the finest prose writer in Spanish. Popovic's book fills a much needed gap in this area.

Alisados: Vivencias de una Mujer Dominicana

As a brown skinned Hispanic I could relate to the author. I find her anecdotes similar to mines and it shows the intricate details of ones culture. I encourage others to get this book and pass it along as a form of knot to tie each others past and cultures together--to share friendship.

This is a fine book on the history of the FAT -- Mexico's oldest independent union federation. The book is well researched with interesting insights into how a truly movement-oriented unionism functions on the ground, definitely worth reading.

This is a hilarious story, smart, well written and very Jamaican. I laughed until I cried. The author captures the fine line between comedy and tragedy in a riveting story. The dialogue is real, there's a riveting plot and you can't help but cheer for Alonso. He's a loveable underdog.

Agosin creates yet another beautiful piece of literature in "Always from Somewhere Else." Her emotional and thought-provoking style provides the reader with an incredible inside view of Jewish life in Chile. A duet of pain and beauty, Agosin's memoir of her father's life is vivid and alive. This story, one of lost and newfound identity has the strong possibility of being close to us all. This book is a definite candidate for everyone's personal library of favorites.