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The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories
Some of the freshest, most vital, and diverse new literature written in the twentieth century has emerged from the Caribbean. And central to Caribbean literature is the short story, with its ties with the oral tradition. Now, The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories, edited by Stewart Brown and John Wickham, brings together fifty-two stories in a major anthology representing over a century's worth of pan-Caribbean short fiction. This breathtaking collection is unique--and indispensable--in its inclusion of authors from the English, French, Spanish, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.
The distinctly Anglophone viewpoint of such prominent authors as Jean Rhys, Sam Sevlon, V.S. Naipual, and E.A. Markham is richly contrasted by contributions from French, Spanish, and Dutch writers like Alejo Carpentier, Rene Depestre, and Thea Doelwijt, while the new generation--represented by such writers as Edwidge Danticat and Patrick Chamoiseau--points the way forward for Caribbean writing into the twenty-first century. With his stimulating introduction, Brown provides an up-to-date overview of Caribbean writing. Exploring the literature's themes of history, race, social justice, identity, and migration, he traces its evolution from the gritty naturalism of the Anglophone tradition to the magical realism of the French and Spanish traditions to a body of contemporary pan-Caribbean literature that cannot be contained in any convenient linguistic, geographical, or thematic definition.
Charting the shifting ideologies and styles of this century--from the flamboyant wit of Samuel Selvon to the deceptive simplicity of Jamaica Kincaid--The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories delivers a wealth of satisfactions in a single volume with unprecedented range."
The distinctly Anglophone viewpoint of such prominent authors as Jean Rhys, Sam Sevlon, V.S. Naipual, and E.A. Markham is richly contrasted by contributions from French, Spanish, and Dutch writers like Alejo Carpentier, Rene Depestre, and Thea Doelwijt, while the new generation--represented by such writers as Edwidge Danticat and Patrick Chamoiseau--points the way forward for Caribbean writing into the twenty-first century. With his stimulating introduction, Brown provides an up-to-date overview of Caribbean writing. Exploring the literature's themes of history, race, social justice, identity, and migration, he traces its evolution from the gritty naturalism of the Anglophone tradition to the magical realism of the French and Spanish traditions to a body of contemporary pan-Caribbean literature that cannot be contained in any convenient linguistic, geographical, or thematic definition.
Charting the shifting ideologies and styles of this century--from the flamboyant wit of Samuel Selvon to the deceptive simplicity of Jamaica Kincaid--The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories delivers a wealth of satisfactions in a single volume with unprecedented range."
500 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 1999
14 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Stewart Brown
59 books3 followersStewart Brown (born 1951 in Southampton, UK)[1] is an English poet, university lecturer and scholar of African and Caribbean Literature.
(wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 17, 2023
Brilliant, comprehensive selection of stories from both the islands and the mainland (Guyana, Suriname, Panama, Colombia) covering the whole of the 20th century. A superb introduction takes you through the disparate strands, translations from Spanish and French you are about to read. I'd read just 8 writers from the 52 featured, and all of them good. Themes range from the mundane (sending money home from England) to the supernatural (obeah men, jumbies, rituals to remove bad spirits, ghost ships, mermaids and angels with wings on fire); childhood, migration (stories set in England, Canada); political oppression, imprisonment and murder (eg refugees in the sea off Florida); sex - a frank erotica (eg Rene Depestre; Rosario Ferre; Ana Lydia Vega). Styles range from conventional to dream-like surrealism to prose-poetry. A thrilling, sensual, compelling collection that has set me out to find more from several writers.
June 26, 2019
Most of these short stories reflect the diversity of the Caribbean. It includes not only the English speaking writers or poets but also those from the French, Spanish and Dutch speaking islands. Most of these authors are well known. And most of these stories are top notch.
The editors chose to arrange these 52 short stories based on the birth dates of writers. But the quality of writing is top notch. The stories can be a simple tale of the influence of family, the distant effect of war, the impact of Panama Canal or the World wars to the effect of hurricanes on a nation or role of immigration.
If you want one book that truly reflects the Caribbean in its diversity in people and culture, then this is the pick. This is definitely a collection you never knew you needed.
The editors chose to arrange these 52 short stories based on the birth dates of writers. But the quality of writing is top notch. The stories can be a simple tale of the influence of family, the distant effect of war, the impact of Panama Canal or the World wars to the effect of hurricanes on a nation or role of immigration.
If you want one book that truly reflects the Caribbean in its diversity in people and culture, then this is the pick. This is definitely a collection you never knew you needed.
December 31, 2009
A really rich collection of short stories by Caribbean writers. Though not containing the magic realism evident in some of the stories, Olive Senior's short story, "Do Angels Wear Brassieres?" plays on the theme of rebellion, prevalent in much of the collection.
The story's protagonist, Beccka, studies the Bible, not because she is devout, but in order to fight back against the righteous, stifling form of religion Aunt Mary and the other women represent. For Beccka, language is power. In the beginning of the story, Beccka’s rebellious ways are already evident. When she prays—and includes a criticism about her Aunt Mary—her mother, who is too weak to take a stand on behalf of Beccka or against Aunt Mary, immediately begs her daughter not to cause trouble. Aunt Mary and the other women speculate that Beccka is possessed by the devil. They hope Beccka will pass the scholarship exam and be sent to a boarding school to “make them teachers deal with her” (306).
Beccka retaliates by doing the three “wickedest” things a woman can do: dressing up in Aunt Mary’s clothes and then admiring herself in a mirror, taking a drink, and dancing all night. In contrast, Aunt Mary runs around in frenzied preparation for the Archdeacon, who may stop at her house. The fact that we’re told that the Archdeacon is an Englishman is significant. Clearly, Aunt Mary wants to impress this representative from dominant culture. Aunt Mary’s biggest worry is that Beccka will embarrass them. Ironically, the Archdeacon comes into the house because he finds Beccka so charming.
Once inside, Beccka gives the Archdeacon a series of Bible riddles. Beccka’s knowledge and her clever riddles make him laugh but also make him uncomfortable. The riddles put them in a position of equality; the Archdeacon realizes he must be the person in power and, after restoring his dignity, tries to turn the conversation to more serious matters. When the Archdeacon asks Beccka, who will soon be confirmed, if she needs any religious clarification, her question is not what he anticipates. Beccka asks, “Sir, what I want to know is this for I can’t find it in the Bible. Please sir, do angels wear brassieres?” (310). We never learn what the Archdeacon’s reaction would have been because in the ensuing commotion (Aunt Mary’s outrage, the dropped tray, spilled water, etc.), the Archdeacon slips out of the house.
Although the story is often humorous—even hilarious—Beccka’s desire to escape points to larger issues. Rather than feeling honored by winning the scholarship, Beccka has no desire to go to “no boarding school with no heap of girl” (311). Beccka assumes the girls at the boarding school will be more of the same, i.e., stifling, subservient, righteous, judgmental, traditional, and so forth. All of the women in Beccka’s life have either been weak (like her mother, Cherry) or judgmental and hypocritical (like her Aunt Mary). The women blame Beccka’s character on her father, the only positive role model Beccka seems to have had. Her father “pack her up” (306) in books, in recognition, perhaps, that knowledge would be Beccka’s key to freedom.
When Beccka’s runs away, she encounters a “father figure” in the form of Mr. O’Connor, her best friend, because “he is the only person Beccka can hold a real conversation with” (312). Above all, Beccka seems to prize honesty. Mr. O’Connor takes the news that Beccka is running away in stride and points out that by running away without money, her escape is going to be difficult, if not impossible. He offers a way for Beccka to return and still “save face.” Rather than return home in defeat, Beccka can return home and “wait” until she’s saved up enough money to “finance” her “journey” (313). Mr. O’Connor senses that Beccka will feel more empowered if she sees her return simply delaying her escape, rather than canceling it altogether. As she agrees to return home with Mr. Connor, Beccka also comforts herself by thinking of all the ways she’ll be able to stump the girls (and the teachers) at the boarding school.
Still seeking the truth, however, Beccka poses the same provocative question to Mr. O’Connor that she gave the Archdeacon: “Mr. Connor, do angels wear brassieres?” Beccka, no fool, realizes the question’s shock value lies in its tying sexuality to religious figures. Mr. Connor’s answer is practical and funny and completely dissolves Beccka’s intent. Quite simply, he answers, “Well Beccka, as far as I know only the lady angels need to” (313). Rather than chastising Beccka for blasphemy, as the women surely would have done, O’Connor simply answers the question. Beccka's delight stems from a number of factors: the question has been answered honestly, there is no religious hypocrisy, and she has been treated like an equal.
The story's protagonist, Beccka, studies the Bible, not because she is devout, but in order to fight back against the righteous, stifling form of religion Aunt Mary and the other women represent. For Beccka, language is power. In the beginning of the story, Beccka’s rebellious ways are already evident. When she prays—and includes a criticism about her Aunt Mary—her mother, who is too weak to take a stand on behalf of Beccka or against Aunt Mary, immediately begs her daughter not to cause trouble. Aunt Mary and the other women speculate that Beccka is possessed by the devil. They hope Beccka will pass the scholarship exam and be sent to a boarding school to “make them teachers deal with her” (306).
Beccka retaliates by doing the three “wickedest” things a woman can do: dressing up in Aunt Mary’s clothes and then admiring herself in a mirror, taking a drink, and dancing all night. In contrast, Aunt Mary runs around in frenzied preparation for the Archdeacon, who may stop at her house. The fact that we’re told that the Archdeacon is an Englishman is significant. Clearly, Aunt Mary wants to impress this representative from dominant culture. Aunt Mary’s biggest worry is that Beccka will embarrass them. Ironically, the Archdeacon comes into the house because he finds Beccka so charming.
Once inside, Beccka gives the Archdeacon a series of Bible riddles. Beccka’s knowledge and her clever riddles make him laugh but also make him uncomfortable. The riddles put them in a position of equality; the Archdeacon realizes he must be the person in power and, after restoring his dignity, tries to turn the conversation to more serious matters. When the Archdeacon asks Beccka, who will soon be confirmed, if she needs any religious clarification, her question is not what he anticipates. Beccka asks, “Sir, what I want to know is this for I can’t find it in the Bible. Please sir, do angels wear brassieres?” (310). We never learn what the Archdeacon’s reaction would have been because in the ensuing commotion (Aunt Mary’s outrage, the dropped tray, spilled water, etc.), the Archdeacon slips out of the house.
Although the story is often humorous—even hilarious—Beccka’s desire to escape points to larger issues. Rather than feeling honored by winning the scholarship, Beccka has no desire to go to “no boarding school with no heap of girl” (311). Beccka assumes the girls at the boarding school will be more of the same, i.e., stifling, subservient, righteous, judgmental, traditional, and so forth. All of the women in Beccka’s life have either been weak (like her mother, Cherry) or judgmental and hypocritical (like her Aunt Mary). The women blame Beccka’s character on her father, the only positive role model Beccka seems to have had. Her father “pack her up” (306) in books, in recognition, perhaps, that knowledge would be Beccka’s key to freedom.
When Beccka’s runs away, she encounters a “father figure” in the form of Mr. O’Connor, her best friend, because “he is the only person Beccka can hold a real conversation with” (312). Above all, Beccka seems to prize honesty. Mr. O’Connor takes the news that Beccka is running away in stride and points out that by running away without money, her escape is going to be difficult, if not impossible. He offers a way for Beccka to return and still “save face.” Rather than return home in defeat, Beccka can return home and “wait” until she’s saved up enough money to “finance” her “journey” (313). Mr. O’Connor senses that Beccka will feel more empowered if she sees her return simply delaying her escape, rather than canceling it altogether. As she agrees to return home with Mr. Connor, Beccka also comforts herself by thinking of all the ways she’ll be able to stump the girls (and the teachers) at the boarding school.
Still seeking the truth, however, Beccka poses the same provocative question to Mr. O’Connor that she gave the Archdeacon: “Mr. Connor, do angels wear brassieres?” Beccka, no fool, realizes the question’s shock value lies in its tying sexuality to religious figures. Mr. Connor’s answer is practical and funny and completely dissolves Beccka’s intent. Quite simply, he answers, “Well Beccka, as far as I know only the lady angels need to” (313). Rather than chastising Beccka for blasphemy, as the women surely would have done, O’Connor simply answers the question. Beccka's delight stems from a number of factors: the question has been answered honestly, there is no religious hypocrisy, and she has been treated like an equal.
August 12, 2022
I have about 50 pages left but I'm calling it quits because I don't have the will to finish it. I think it says something about the overall quality of the book when the preface was the most interesting part. The strong preface combined with the great first story gave me high hopes, but they were ultimately dashed as I was hit with like five stories which were so boring they could only technically be considered stories. Some of them didn't really have a plot, they were more of just describing a scene, and even some of those that did have plots were so mid I had to wonder why bother.
It wasn't all bad though, I was exposed to a wide variety of caribbean writers, and there were some amazing stories in here, which were the only thing keeping me reading. I also found that the translated works tended to be more interesting than the ones written originally in English.
The stories I liked were
1. some people are meant to live alone—frank collymore
2. rosena on the mountain—rene depestre
3. buried statues—antonio benitez rojo
4. the nightwatchman's occurrence book—vs naipaul
5. leaving this island place—austin clarke
6. the breadnut and the breadfruit—marys conde
7. do angels wear brassieres—olive senior
8. goodbye mother—reinaldo arenas
9. the inheritance of my father—astrid roemer
10.nineteen thirty-seven—edwidge danticat
It wasn't all bad though, I was exposed to a wide variety of caribbean writers, and there were some amazing stories in here, which were the only thing keeping me reading. I also found that the translated works tended to be more interesting than the ones written originally in English.
The stories I liked were
1. some people are meant to live alone—frank collymore
2. rosena on the mountain—rene depestre
3. buried statues—antonio benitez rojo
4. the nightwatchman's occurrence book—vs naipaul
5. leaving this island place—austin clarke
6. the breadnut and the breadfruit—marys conde
7. do angels wear brassieres—olive senior
8. goodbye mother—reinaldo arenas
9. the inheritance of my father—astrid roemer
10.nineteen thirty-seven—edwidge danticat
February 24, 2024
Read this anthology while in a Madras hammock in St. Lucia. Very comprehensive collection, but sadly nothing from St. Lucia itself.
I was struck by how many of the stories revolved around women and the feminine. Loss of innocence, bravery, escape.
One of my favourites was Edgardo Sanabria Santaliz' After the Hurricane, a fantastic tale about a sea creature captured and transported from village to village in a spectacle, until it returns to the sea with its captor.
This is one I would love to hear read by the authors, so many different unique voices.
I was struck by how many of the stories revolved around women and the feminine. Loss of innocence, bravery, escape.
One of my favourites was Edgardo Sanabria Santaliz' After the Hurricane, a fantastic tale about a sea creature captured and transported from village to village in a spectacle, until it returns to the sea with its captor.
This is one I would love to hear read by the authors, so many different unique voices.
February 24, 2025
Some stories were written so heavily in the venacular, I found them a little much for light reading. Others contained horror elements that made them a case of, not while eating. Plus Trinidad appears to be over-represented for reasons known only to the editors. So I didn't read every story completely, but I read all but seven or eight, enough to become familiar with a representative sample of the authors and literature of the Caribbean in the twentieth century.
September 9, 2010
Okay so I decided to read the forward and I was blown away with how well outlined and structured it was. I could not stop reading. The forward can be compared to (Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man or George Orwell's 1984)...hopefully you understand the comparison. In any case, the forward was a FANTASTIC introduction to the PHENOMENAL short stories based on 3 different segregate eras. The book is really thick... but, let me tell you... the short stories I tend to breeze through with laughter, amazement and perception. The irony, wisdom, humor, cultural difference in grammar, overall storylines is like no other. The interesting thing about it is that when you read each story by the different authors of the Caribbean you can almost immediately tell what country of origin the authors are from!!!! As the same with there struggles, way of thinking, life values etc. For instance: Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Barbados. I am having a blast reading these stories between work, play, sleep and studying. I feel strange when I leave the house without this book by my side. This one is definitely worthy of book club review and discussion or even a requirement for university students.
When I read these stories it reminds me of my culturally diverse family...from Central America to South America and a tiny bit of the Caribbean in between.
PLEASE READ it will enhance your life. LOLOLOLOLOLOL :-)
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SIDE NOTE: The book was on a shelf, I backed up to turn around and slightly hit the book. So I did a double take to see if it was going to fall but was intrigued by the cover and title of this compilation of Caribbean Short Stories.
Then, I briefly looked through the book and noticed some eye catching titles. There was one author I recognized immediately who is from Haiti, Edwidge Danticat, a really great writer.
When I read these stories it reminds me of my culturally diverse family...from Central America to South America and a tiny bit of the Caribbean in between.
PLEASE READ it will enhance your life. LOLOLOLOLOLOL :-)
------
SIDE NOTE: The book was on a shelf, I backed up to turn around and slightly hit the book. So I did a double take to see if it was going to fall but was intrigued by the cover and title of this compilation of Caribbean Short Stories.
Then, I briefly looked through the book and noticed some eye catching titles. There was one author I recognized immediately who is from Haiti, Edwidge Danticat, a really great writer.
May 9, 2007
this is a wonderful collection of stories for anyone interested in Caribbean culture and history. You can pick and choose. Some I thought were better than others, but I still ended up reading all of them.
August 26, 2016
I can't believe I forgot to write a review for this. Like any collection, some stories are better than others, but this really was an excellent selection of writers. Many of the characters are still stuck in my head. I highly recommend it.
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June 4, 2013I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11957027
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11957027
April 17, 2016
Many a wonderful story awaits you! Great reference, and a good source to get one started on inquiry for the English-speaking Caribbean.
March 29, 2011
I recommend Danticat's "Nineteen Thirty Seven."
May 24, 2014
Read short selection of stories...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews