Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean

by Peekash Press (Editor), Sharon Millar, Dwight Thompson

"This wonderful anthology of fresh voices from the Caribbean…includes writers from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The diverse textures of the stories by 13 established and new authors weave a tapestry of the islands, water, sand, ocean breeze, and rum. Vivid settings serve as backdrops for a dazzling display of personalities."
-- Booklist

"The wonder in these stories is that they show Caribbean culture--the people, sounds, food, and music...this book will appeal to readers of Caribbean fiction and beyond."
-- Library Journal

"Readers are in for a treat when they open the pages to taste the mélange of literary Caribbean cuisine. Spicy and filling!"
-- The Gleaner (Jamaica), "Sizzling Books for Summer Reading"

"If you want a masterclass in how to start your stories with a bang, this is the book for you....This is an exciting and heartening book. It proves--if anyone was in any doubt--that the Caribbean has plenty of homegrown literary talent to draw upon."
--A Year of Reading the World (Book of the Month for August 2014)

"Take Pepperpot along on vacation. It's an ideal summer read."
--La Bloga

"Pepperpot is an eclectic mix of adventure, humor, the spirit world, family relationships, and other subject matters which gives you something to think about."
--Ski-wee's Book Corner

Featuring a preface by Olive Senior.

Includes the 2013 Commonwealth Prize-winning story "The Whale House" by Sharon Millar.

Akashic Books and Peepal Tree Press, two of the foremost publishers of Caribbean literature, launch a joint Caribbean-focused imprint, Peekash Press, with this anthology. Consisting entirely of brand-new stories by authors living in the region (not simply authors from the region), this collection gathers the very best entries to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, including a mix of established and up-and-coming writers from islands throughout the Caribbean.

Featuring these brand-new stories:

"The Whale House" by Sharon Millar (Trinidad & Tobago)
"A Good Friday" by Barbara Jenkins (Trinidad & Tobago)
"Reversal of Fortunes" by Kevin Baldeosingh (Trinidad & Tobago)
"The Monkey Trap" by Kevin Hosein (Trinidad & Tobago)
"The Science of Salvation" by Dwight Thompson (Jamaica)
"Waywardness" by Ezekel Alan (Jamaica)
"Berry" by Kimmisha Thomas (Jamaica)
"Father, Father" by Garfield Ellis (Jamaica)
"All the Secret Things No-One Ever Knows" by Sharon Leach (Jamaica)
"This Thing We Call Love" by Ivory Kelly (Belize)
"And the Virgin's Name Was Leah" by Heather Barker (Barbados)
"Amelia" by Joanne Hillhouse (Antigua & Barbuda)
"Mango Summer" by Janice Lynn Mather (Bahamas)

and others!

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, The World

190 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2014

Reviews

[Darkowaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

!!! full review https://africanbookaddict.com/2018/04... 4.5 stars!

I really, really enjoyed this anthology. I always love reading anthologies because I get to discover new writers and their short stories give me a taste of their writing styles. I discovered a good number of new Caribbean writers from this anthology, especially as it purposely featured stories by lesser-known Caribbean writers mostly residing on the Islands. I absolutely love that these stories contain local dialect WITHOUT a glossary at the back of the book. If a reader wants to look up a certain word or phrase, they can Google it! It's almost as if the book was written for readers of the Caribbean and not necessarily Western readers - which I'm here for! Not everyday white gaze -_-


FULL review on book blog - https://africanbookaddict.com/2018/04...

[BookOfCinz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Olive Senior says in the preface The stories are for the most part serious but, like Caribbean life, often salted and spiced with humour and the sweetness of island expressions

I love Caribbean short stories and when I saw this collection I definitely felt led to read it. It boosted authors from all over the Caribbean, some I have never heard of, others I wanted to hear more from. The collection felt truly Caribbean and explored a lot of the themes I never get tired of reading about.

I have to say, majority of the stories in this collection felt incomplete or lacking but I thoroughly enjoyed Ivory Kelly's This Thing We Call Love and Sharon Leach's All The Secret Things No One Ever Knows .

[Vishy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for short stories by Caribbean writers, recently, and I stumbled upon this collection. 'Pepperpot' is published by Peekash Press, an indie publisher which promotes books by Caribbean writers who live in the Caribbean.

There are thirteen stories in the book. I enjoyed reading all of them. Some of my favourites are these.

The Whale House by Sharon Millar – A woman is mourning the loss of her baby. Then we learn about her past and her younger days and some beautiful secrets are revealed. The ending of the story was beautiful and perfect.

The Science of Salvation by Dwight Thompson – A spiritual leader and his wife meet an old friend. This old friend has ended up on the wrong side of the law. The spiritual leader tries changing him. What happens after that is the rest of the story. Beautiful and moving and thought-provoking.

A Good Friday by Barbara Jenkins – A beautiful woman walks into a bar. A man tries courting her. It all looks quite predictable. But halfway through the story Barbara Jenkins steps on the pedal, and the story kicks to a different gear, in an unexpected way. I loved the way it ended. Barbara Jenkins has written a novel which features some of the same characters from this story, and I want to read that.

Amelia at Devil's Bridge by Joanna C. Hillhouse – I loved Joanna C. Hillhouse's novel 'Musical Youth' and so was excited to read this. A young woman finds herself in the rocky shore of the sea and she is naked. She doesn't know how she got there. What happens next and the truth when it is revealed is unexpected and heartbreaking.

Waywardness by Ezekel Alan – It is about a person who is regarded as 'wayward'. You should read the story to find out what that exactly means. The story was filled with dark humour and it made me laugh throughout.

Berry by Kimmisha Thomas – A beautiful lesbian love story. Loved it. Berry is such an awesome character. One of my favourite passages from the book is from this story. It goes like this –

"Berry once told me that she had always thought of herself as both female and male. I understand why some men are confused by lesbian logic. I’m confused too. I am sure Berry, so talented and beautiful, always has men lusting after her. I asked one time how she deals with that. She shrugged and said, “I just become their friend. They stay or they leave.” She told me her family knows about her. They neither accept nor deny it. “We just be, you know?” I didn’t know. I didn’t know whether I was gay or not, or whether this was just a phase. But maybe I did know, cause I was just being, like Berry’s family."

"Father, Father" by Garfield Ellis – A teenager is fleeing his attackers. What happens next is the rest of the story. It is gripping and fast-paced and scary.

I loved 'Pepperpot'. There are stories in it about love, loss, family, being gay, forbidden relationships, faith, bad things happening. They were fascinating to read. The book has a beautiful introduction by Jamaican legend, Olive Senior.

Have you read 'Pepperpot'? What do you think about it?

[David Dacosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a joint venture between Akashic and Peepal Tree, the two leading publishers of Caribbean literature, Pepperpot is a showcase of veteran and rookie fiction writers from the genre. Much like the earlier endeavours of the British based imprint Heinemann, decades earlier, the careers of Caribbean bred authors are once again being overseen by publishers situated abroad.

The Whale House commences with an immediately haunting introduction. A woman and her spouse are disposing of the powered remains of a loved one in a watery grave. Naturally the reader’s curiosity is piqued. This compelling starting point unfortunately unravels into an overwritten and convoluted waste. Short stories are not meant to be novels. This I understand. But I do believe that they should represent that possibility. The Whale House fails to inspire any confidence in that respect.

Kevin Baldeosingh’s Cheque Mate is a more promising effort, save for its blatant emphasis on the Americanisation of the Caribbean. Baldeosingh’s heroine Sukiya, falls within the top 1% of Trinidad’s money earners. Her accountant post at a powerful island corporation allows for perks such as the ownership of homes in Trinidad, America and Europe. Highlighting the parallels in corruption found in Trinidad’s business sector and Wall Street, bleeds the story of any cultural uniqueness. Baldeosingh is a competent writer, though the lens in which he views Trinidad, seems too skewed by globalization.

Divided into three themed sections, A Good Friday by Barbara Jenkins, begins Pepperpot’s second group of stories with a bang. KarlLee is instantly smitten after laying eyes on a stylishly clad siren who enters the bar he is patronizing. He soon learns that the object of his desire might be the victim of a church robbery. Assuming the role of knight in shining armour, KarlLee promptly escorts the noticeably distraught woman to a nearby police station to file a report. By the end, it becomes apparent that something isn’t quite right with our damsel in distress. Provocative and well told. Definitely had me imaging an expanded version of the story in the form of a novel.

One could never label Pepperpot as being one dimensional, hardly. The collection spans subjects as varied as incest, sexual orientation and even the spirit world. Of the thirteen contributing authors, a handful have published books. Truthfully, I’ve never really been a big fan of short story collections. I will, however, seek out Barbara Jenkins collection Sic Transit Wagon on the basis of her standout offering A Good Friday.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had difficulty rating Pepperpot. The literary quality offered in this arrangement of short stories was not uniform. Some stories were incredibly well written, while others had me wondering why they were chosen for this collection. The purpose of this book was to introduce and support a varied group of Caribbean authors, which it fulfills. However, a book of this nature presented under a singular title requires a literary caliber equal amoung peers.

In looking at and reviewing the stories I enjoyed and thought superbly written, this book offered a group of diverse and compelling narratives with rich and resounding textures. These qualities reflect the unique flavors of the Caribbean culture and its colorful subcultures. Some had a folk tale quality designed to morally instruct, while others dealt with universal themes meant to assess and make sense of the character's existence. All seemed to be written in an effort to better understand and cope with life, as given to each individual portrayed.

Bearing these characteristics in mind, this book is a relative success. It is unfortunate there is not a balance as it relates to literary aptitude. Whereas, some of the authors in this collection have exceptional talent and the book as a whole would be more enriching. Likewise, the rating would adequatly reflect what some of the authors truly deserve – five stars.

As a post note, I have not identified the titles I felt warranted higher ratings. I do not want to color anyones perception in advance. It feels too much like a spoiler.

[Sasha (bahareads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Pepperpot was mix of joy and heartbreak. Short stories continue to surprise me with how powerful how they can be. All the stories had different flavors of life in it, I was chilled to bone with some and brought to joyful heights by others. I enjoyed Kevin Baldeosingh's Cheque Mate , Ivory Kelly's This Thing We Call Love , Sharon Leach's All The Secret Things No One Ever Knows , Kimmisha Thomas' Berry and Garfield Ellis' Father, Father the most out of all the stories in the anthology. Some of the stories in Pepperpot had open endings which left the story feeling hollow. I will say all the stories in here didn't thrill me but left me wondering about the quality of the writing and storytelling. I will say overall though I think Pepperpot gave what it needed to give - a diverse anthology telling diffrent stories of the Caribbean.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography (cclapcenter.com). I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.]

I have to confess, I would've never thought of picking up anthology of contemporary Caribbean writing on my own, if I hadn't been sent one by our pals at the always excellent Akashic Books; but now that I've read through said volume, Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean, I must admit that it's so far been one of my favorite reads of the last few months, a surprisingly sophisticated and engrossing compilation that I tore through in just a couple of days. Not nearly the "singing natives in colorful dresses and their magical-realism adventures" anthology that Americans might expect from the subject (although there are a few stories like that in here), this is the entire point of a Caribbean anthology edited by actual Caribbeans, that it instead veers into tales of wealth and corporate espionage, quiet family dramas, and the other kinds of tropes that rarely get a chance to be showcased when it's white people writing about people of color in exotic lands, an illuminating slice of life that present a full range of experiences of what it must be like to live in this tropical and often troubled part of the world. In fact, about my only complaint is that the stories themselves hail from only six of the thirty nations and sovereign states that make up this region, and it would've been nice to see a wider range of representation; but I gotta say, what did get included is really great stuff, an eye-opening and entertaining read that is well worth your time. A big recommendation today for one and all.

Out of 10: 9.3

[Angie Reisetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of the GoodReads FirstReads program.

First, this is a very good collection of stories. It just so happens that it's a collection of stories from fairly new authors from the Caribbean, as well. But it's definitely worth reading as simply a good collection of stories.

As you might expect from a collection from a range of authors, these stories have a wide range of subjects and styles. What they have in common, of course, is taking place in the Caribbean. There's a rhythm to the language and patterns to the relationships in families, communities, the society. They mention the closeness of nature and the ocean and the dangers posed by that (no waxing poetic about the sea here).

Most of the stories are really wonderful, even through they deal with difficult subjects and aren't exactly happy stories. A couple of the subjects were so difficult that the stories were more deeply disturbing than anything else -- the disturbing took over and I couldn't process the story. But that really only ruined one of the stories for me. The rest I would recommend as excellent, thought-provoking, and at times enjoyable.

This is the first book from a new publishing press specifically to promote new Caribbean writers. It looks like they plan to make more of these collections in the future, and I am really looking forward to them.

[Punk]

Free e-book advent calendar from Akashic Books: Download Pepperpot for FREE until midnight, December 16, 2016!

Comes in DRM-free mobi or epub, and you don't have to sign in or up for anything.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
I started this anthology of with two short stories that I really really enjoyed and I was made to believe that this would be the experience throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, that was not the case because, for some reason, all good things have to come to an end. There were some stories that made me straight up uncomfortable, some I just feel like were unfinished and really lacked impact despite good prose and intriguing premises. And there were others, a few but still quite resonant, that I really enjoyed, really loved and will be looking into the authors for more.

I actually only read this book as a part of my reading challenge to read from books across the Caribbean and this was to fulfill my prompt for Antigua and Barbuda because I wasn't finding anything. That's why that review is highlighted.

Breakdown:
The Whale House by Sharon Miller - I love a story where everything is connected and this is a prime example of that being so well executed in a mere few pages. 5
The Science of Salvation by Dwight Thompson - There is nice story-telling, but everything didn't really come together for me at the end. I was left wondering why certain things were said and left in, and that may be my own failure to properly understand the story, but that does affect how I view it, so yeah. Compelling nonetheless. 4.25
Cheque Mate by Kevin Baldeosingh - Thought it was corny feminism (i am a feminist) and didn't really have a point. 2.5
This Thing We Call Love by Ivory Kelly - Lovely community building, but more a description of a Belizean community than a short story. 3
A Good Friday by Barbara Jenkins - Has a deeper meaning that is going over my head, but feels unfinished, I WANT MORE, 3.75
All the Secret Things No One Ever Knows by Sharon Leach - Gross but has a start, middle and actual end. 4
Amelia at Devil's Bridge by Joanne C. Hillhouse - One of the first in a while to immediately grab my attention but i wish there was more room for speculation. It gives so little which is effective in depicting the mysterious, ghostly tone but leaves me with nothing for further thinking. 4.5
Waywardness by Ezekiel Alan - made me so uncomfortable that i don't want to rate it
And the Virgin's Name Was Leah by Heather Barker - Once again, very interesting and the prose is lovely but I'm left wondering "What next?". 3.5
Mango Summer by Janice Lynn Mather - It's interesting because I took so long to be able to read this one. I don't know what was happening but I had to keep restarting the reading process that I just eventually skipped it over and came back to it in the end. But it was actually lovely. All the lines blended together so well; all the different aspects of the story. And it was told in in such a juxtaposed way. We have a sad story contrasted with something sweet, lovely and delight for all and the writing make sure that you are able to see the effects of that juxtaposition. 5. Absolutely devastating.
Berry by Kimmisha Thomas - I am always going to eat up a lesbian love story however I was less confused about the age gap between these two so I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I would have loved to. 3.25
The Monkey Trap by Kevin Jared Hosein - Another sad one unfortunately. This one had the intended impact on me; however, I feel like things could have tied into each other better especially that last part I feel like that was an amazing opportunity to do some real symbolism. 4.25
Father, Father by Garfield Ellis - I take this as a parallel to the Christian God or maybe just any god. I liked it, I related to it. 4.

[ಥ_ಥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My average rating was a 3. Some where amazing, a couple were horrible. Most were standard. This isn't my favorite collection but it definately was unique. It was neat to see the themes were an Island had multiple authors.

I left the authors name, the island which they come from and the star rating for each story. I also left trigger warnings on 2.


Part I
SHARON MILLAR  The Whale House Trinidad & Tobago 3/5

DWIGHT THOMPSON  The Science of Salvation Jamaica 3.5/5

KEVIN BALDEOSINGH  Cheque Mate Trinidad & Tobago 2/5

IVORY KELLY  This Thing We Call Love Belize 4/5 Quick note, I love how the dialogue was written. It was easier to get the vibe of the people with the speak having an obvious dialect vs almost robot.

Part II
BARBARA JENKINS  A Good Friday Trinidad & Tobago  3/5

SHARON LEACH  All the Secret Things No One Ever Knows Jamaica [trigger warning incest] 2.5/5


JOANNE C. HILLHOUSE  Amelia at Devil’s Bridge Antigua & Barbuda 3/5

EZEKEL ALAN  Waywardness Jamaica I DNF after two paragraphs. Wtf. "Straighter gay" and the Nazi comments. 0/5

HEATHER BARKER  And the Virgin’s Name Was Leah Barbados. 1/5

JANICE LYNN MATHER  Mango Summer Bahamas 2/5

KIMMISHA THOMAS  Berry Jamaica 3/5

KEVIN JARED HOSEIN  The Monkey Trap Trinidad & Tobago 2/5

Garfield Ellis  Father, Father Jamaica 3/5

[S.Ravkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of my reading of the world project. It is a collection of short stories by different authors. Overall all it is a fun mix of topics and genres - humor, supernatural, spooky, friendship drama. Some of the stories are excellent, some are not as strong. But it is my thought that the stories a reader may prefer are based on the genres they prefer, and so I am not willing to rate each individual story. It is definitely a fun solid read. If you enjoy short stories, or enjoy Caribbean storytelling, then this is a must read. If you are looking to explore Caribbean writers, this is a good place to start because you can maybe identity some preferred authors without dedicating the time to a complete book.

[Daniel Cornwall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars only reflects my enjoyment of this anthology. I don't want to get recommendations for more books like this. Having said that, all of the stories are well written. If you can handle deeply gritty stories about dysfunctional families that often feature incest, this collection might be for you. It's not for me.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Reading Caribbean Stories, as usual, will let you with a feeling of dismay and inpotence like no other. The Caribbean has always been open for grabs, for abuse, for sex (mostly non consensual). These stories confirm my silent suspicion that we Caribbeans are harsh and strong, because we didnt have any other choice.

[Ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago)

Overall this collection was very good except one story "Waywardness" was absolute offensive shite and brought down the collection as a whole.

[laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixed group of caribbean short stories author, a 4 as I love the range different writings i.e. build up, Characters, flow, a journey across the caribbean!
As a pre-warning different topics covered and some more graphic than others.

[Livey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent group of short stories each one fantastic in its own right. I really connected with the stories in part one. The selections by Peekash Press was a thoughtful success.

[Cherryls Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately I won't be keeping this one, didn't find any of the stories reeled me in.

[Michele Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read though some stories were truly gut-wrenching. The stories were able to engage you, entrap you, and then pull at your heart.

[Dameofbelair · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology of Caribbean stories by writers from the different territories. The tales are varied in quality, but make very worthwhile reading material.

[Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories were entertaining to read. I liked that this book offered a variety in terms of tone and literary devices.

[Peta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 There were some standout authors that I will read their novels in the future. Review here->https://youtu.be/YFMSWgo0424

[Zell Murdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of these stories felt incomplete or missing context. Some were good but they just lacked impact, which is interesting because the subject matter was often so intense.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

read

[Kaia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only liked two or three stories from this collection, and even those were just okay.

[chasinglux · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are a bit tough - darker content in some spots but the writing was beautiful across genres even with the variety presented. I hope to find more anthologies by Caribbean writers.

[Edythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pepperpot is a collection of short stories written by authors of the Caribbean. There is a mixture of everything to make an afternoon of reading exciting and fun. A few of my favorites are

“REVERSAL OF FORTUNES” by Kevin Baldeosingh (Trinidad & Tobago): Sukiya is a corporate secretary and accountant for a successful business. One of her duties is to deposit checks into the business account, and bank her own payroll. Sukiya not paying attention, realizes at the bank her payroll is too much. She makes an appointment to see her boss and things are not what they seem.

“ALL THE SECRET THINGS NO-ONE EVER KNOWS” by Sharon Leach (Jamaica): A teenager tells the story of her dysfunctional family. Her father has a girlfriend; her mother is none the wiser; one of her two brothers commits suicide. She has an unnatural affection for her father. As she paints the picture of the family’s problems, she also comes to grip with her own circumstances.

“AMELIA” by Joanne C. Hillhouse (Antigua & Barbuda): Amelia is an eleven-year-old girl wondering how she made it to Devil’s Bridge. She is confused, panicky and naked. Amelia sees a truck full of men drive up and wants to ask for help, but she is afraid. They are there to fly kites from the roadside cliff. When she works up the nerve to scream, the men do not hear her because of their own noise. Will she ever be rescued?

“FATHER, FATHER” by Garfield Ellis (Jamaica): One of two young boys is regretful for engaging in a verbal disagreement with a group of poor boys. When the free-talker is abandoned by his friend, he’s left to fend for himself. He dearly wishes that his father would come and rescue him, from the mess he has gotten himself into. One must learn to be ever so humble when you have more than others.

Pepperpot is an eclectic mix of adventure, humor, the spirit world, family relationships, and other subject matters which gives you something to think about. Only two short stories were hard for me to decipher because of the dialect used. I recommend this collection of short stories to readers who enjoy a mixture of subject matter in a single sitting.

I received this book free from Akashic Books through the Edelweiss Reviewer Program for an honest unbiased review.

[Marie Rowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I picked this up because some Caribbean countries were hard to find full length books for as I’m trying to Read Around the World. This collection includes stories from Jamaica, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Bahamas.

It was interesting to drop into the lives and worlds of these countries, and the collection editors point out in the preface that the region experiences a lot of similarities that makes them all nod with understanding as they read each other’s stories, but with a lot of place-specific diversity too that makes each story unique. They divided the stories into three sections based on common themes. The theme that stood out to me the most was violence and death; the threat of violence, and the darkness that seems to lurk under the colorful, bright, hot, tropical locales.

I also want to register that the best story BY FAR was “And the Virgin’s Name was Leah” by Heather Barker from Barbados. It’s about a young woman who finds that her sister has fallen pregnant with the messiah. When it was done I closed the book and just stared out the bus window for the rest of the ride thinking about it over and over.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of short stories from the best of Caribbean authors. These esoteric shorts are literal sensuality, textured and rich like fabrics of these opulent islands. Vibrant and colorless as luminous and gloomy. Blustery and calm as a Caribbean breeze. Salmagundi of talent without borders. Every page turned offered a polychromatic of themes shimmering in prose. Suffused with diversity with a provocative shadow.

The Whale House

'Mark sat in the corner of the room his head in his hands. Laura stretched the lavender baby along the inside of her arms, the perfect feet pressing against her breasts, the heels of her hands supporting the fragile head. Cupping the tender skull with both hands, she kissed the violet fingers, ears and toes, running her fingers along the butterfly eyebrows. To keep her warm she pulled the baby close to her breast, swaddling and rocking her. After three hours, Dr Harnaysingh sedated her so they could pry the baby from her.'


A copy provided in exchange for an honest review

[Bryan Spellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich in violence, poverty, and sex, Pepperpot's thirteen stories reflect the culture of the English speaking Caribbean, from Belize to Antigua and Barbuda. These are not stories designed to please the tourist bureaus in the various nations represented, nor do they reflect the world seen from the safe confines of a Sandals resort. They are, however, a faithful representation of life in these British Commonwealth lands. If you're interested in how people really live, by all means pick up a copy.