The World's Literature in Europe discussion

Hi, All,

Jamaica, Jamaica 2017 begins in February 2017.

I'm listening here for recommendations about Jamaican literature.

As you probably found out, I perused and read some works whose authors set their stories in their country of origin. Those included the poetry books The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion and There Is an Anger that Moves by Kei Miller and the novels The True History of Paradise by Margaret Cezair-Thompson and The Last Warner Woman by Miller. I liked them all.

I am looking for more titles of novels, poetry, and short stories for the year on the horizon. I'm also hoping for your cooperation in the conversation about the recommended book(s).

If you can recommend a title, can introduce the conversation about it in a topic, and can keep an eye on the posts, then I can examine your book.

Other factors of book selection follow:

We make headway each week with approximately 70-80 pages, a 300-page book lasting about a month;
A public or university library owns a copy of it;
The publisher markets it in e-book.

I loosely set down those guides for book recommendations.

I am realizing that I know nothing about Jamaican litterature. I think Wide Sargasso Sea is a classic of that place (I think it's one of the "1001 books to read before you die"), but I haven't read it yet.

Otherwise, I found this list:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

After a quick search, I found the lists below (but you might have already seen those):

https://theculturetrip.com/caribbean/...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...

.

Melaslithos, your findings about Jamaican authors and books are encouraging. For sure, they are valuable resources.

I will look through your recommended book Wide Sargasso Sea and will designate you the introducer of it.

The conversation for it is approximately 2-1/2 weeks.

Thank you.

Lulu wrote: "."

I'm trying to decode your post!

Oh.. lol. I just wanted to be notified when new post appear! I'm very interested in this topic. lol

I'm stunned that 2017 is devoted to Jamaica as I know nothing about its literature. Are there 12-24 gems to pull from the Jamaican "hat"? I follow this thread with great curiosity!

from http://lithub.com/marlon-james-five-j...#

A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

Myal by Erna Brodber

The Lunatic by Anthony C. Winkler

The Pagoda by Patricia Powell

The Last Warner Woman by Kei Miller

Summer Lightning and Other Stories by Olive Senior




Iron Balloons: Hit Fiction from Jamaica's Calabash Writer's Workshop by Colin Channer

Lulu wrote: "...I just wanted to be notified when new post appear! I'm very interested...lol"

Great idea! lol

I look forward to your further posts!

Haaze wrote: "...I follow this thread with great curiosity!"

Haaze, your list of Jamaican books is impressive and the program is open. The literary lineup is in the making.

You might want to introduce one (or more) of them during Jamaica, Jamaica.

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James

Small Island by Andrea Levy

The White Witch of Rosehall by Herbert G. de Lisser (I haven't had a chance to read this one yet.)

Lulu, you may introduce one or more of them during Jamaica, Jamaica.

They are fine selections by authors with a Jamaican heritage.

If you can indicate your choice(s), then I can schedule you and your book in the calendar.

I am looking forward to reading Jamaican authors.
The only one I've read is Nalo Hopkinson who I love. I am not sure if she'd count as although she is of Jamaican heritage, I think she grew up in Canada. Also she writes more speculative fiction or fantasy and I'm not sure if this is what this group reads.

Haaze wrote: "I'm stunned that 2017 is devoted to Jamaica as I know nothing about its literature. Are there 12-24 gems to pull from the Jamaican "hat"? I follow this thread with great curiosity!

from http://lit..."

What a great link! From the man himself! The books he recommended sound very interesting! We should definitely pick some.

I've been eyeing A Brief History of Seven Killings, but the length of the book (close to 700 pages) is quite intimidating. Maybe we can read this together and encourage each other?

Lila (formerly Jalilah) wrote: "...The only one I've read is Nalo Hopkinson who I love..."

She's new to me.

If you would like to choose one of her books, one which you would like to moderate as well, then some more of us would be able to share your love of her writing.

Missy J wrote: "...A Brief History of Seven Killings, but the length of the book (close to 700 pages) is quite intimidating. Maybe we can read this together..."

A Brief History of Seven Killings was awarded the Booker Prize and plenty of literary recognition.

I'll peruse the book one of these fine days then comment on your post. The dialogue about James's book will probably occupy nine to ten weeks.

Missy J wrote: "...Maybe we can read this together..."

Another thought about James's "The Brief History" is -- more than one moderator for the five-part book.

Each moderator can introduce a part and respond to comments about it.

A. Fedosia wrote: Another thought about James's "The Brief History" is -- more than one moderator for the five-part book.

Each moderator can introduce a part..."

That's a great idea. I would happily volunteer to introduce one part of the book.

Swell!

I will reveal more in December. For now, I will list the chapter headings for A Brief History of Seven Killings:

Original Rockers
December 2, 1976

Ambush in the Night
December 3, 1976

Shadow Dancin'
February 15, 1979

White Lines / Kids in America
August 14, 1985

Sound Boy Killing
March 22, 1991

Since many of you have put on record a checklist of Jamaican books, I have as well entered a collection of them:

Marlon James / The Book of Night Women
Marlon James / John Crow's Devil
Marlon James / A Brief History of Seven Killings

Michelle Cliff / Abeng
Michaelle Cliff / No Telephone to Heaven

Lorna Goodison / Supplying Salt and Light
Lorna Goodison / From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island

Herbert G. De Lisser / The White Witch of Rosehall

Kerry Young / Gloria
Kerry Young / Pao: A Novel

Kwame Dawes / Duppy Conqueror: New and Selected Poems

Barry Reckord / For The Reckord

Fred W. Kennedy / Daddy Sharpe

Kei Miller / The Last Warner Woman
Kei Miller / There Is an Anger that Moves
Kei Miller / The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion

Ralph Thompson / View From Mount Diablo: An Annotated Edition

Sharon Leach / Love It When You Come, Hate It When You Go: Stories

Jamaican-born poet Ishion Hutchinson is in Books (The New Yorker magazine, Nov 21, 2016) this week.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...

There are many books that look interesting to me! This will be starting in February right?
For Nalo Hopkinson, I loved Brown Girl in the Ring I don't know if it matters, but it takes place in Canada, in Toronto among the Jamaican community there. I plan to read both Midnight Robber and Falling in Love with Hominids

Lila, Hopkinson's Falling in Love with Hominids is the newest and is a collection of stories.

Her novels like Brown Girl in the Ring and Midnight Robber accentuate Caribbean themes.

I'm undoubtedly leaving out many details about them.

A. Fedosia wrote: "Lila, Hopkinson's Falling in Love with Hominids is the newest and is a collection of stories.

Her novels like Brown Girl in the Ring and Midnight Robber ..."

All her works have a strong Caribbean influence in them.
Is there one that you would find more appropriate for this group?

I'll probably take a look at one of her newest writings, Falling in Love with Hominids, even though short story collections lack the continuity of novels and make a scattered conversation.

I have at least one more story collection in mind, Love It When You Come, Hate It When You Go: Stories .

Haaze mentioned a collection by Olive Senior.

The story collection Love It When You Come, Hate It When You Go: Stories I perused and considered withdrawing. At first reading, its early stories appeared incomplete and tasteless; a few of the last stories transpired with added subtlety and absorbing narrative. I started the reread of it and noticed other characteristics besides lurid incidents.

At the conclusion of this reading, I will make up my mind.

I'm currently surveying Lorna Goodison's From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island and looking forward to your comments about this book.

Asma wrote: "I'm currently surveying Lorna Goodison's From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island and looking forward to your comments about this book."

Oh this sounds like an amazing book! Very excited!

Thank you, Missy J.

I'm browsing it now while rereading Kingsolver's book.

The poetry collection Supplying Salt and Light also is by Lorna Goodison .

Wikipedia's article about 'Jamaican Literature'.

Zora Neale Hurston's Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica about Jamaican and Haitian voodoo.

One of my Goodreads friend read Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn. It's her debut novel and was released this year.

The story is set at a holiday resort and showcases the lives of those who work at the resort.
Here is a review by the Guardian:
https://www.google.com.hk/amp/s/amp.t...

Asma wrote: "Wikipedia's article about 'Jamaican Literature'.

Zora Neale Hurston's Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica about Jamaican and Haitian voodoo."

Yes, I remember reading that Zora Neale Hurston did her anthropological research in the Caribbean and the American South for comparison. Fascinating!

There are so many books to read.

Missy J wrote: "...Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn..."

I noticed this new book and recently borrowed a copy of it.

Thank you, Missy J.

Missy J wrote: "...Zora Neale Hurston did her anthropological research in the Caribbean..."

The first part of it concentrates on Jamaica, the second part on Haiti.

A copy of it is coming to me in the mail. I am looking into this one.

Lorna Goodison is one of the Jamaican writers of poetry, memoir, and short stories, who is on the reading to-do list for 2017. A description of her writerly achievements are here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...

Thanks for the link. I love Goodison's view on laughter as a method to cope with difficulties in life. I have downloaded her novel From Harvey River on my Kindle already.

Also a big Thank you Asma for preparing our Journey to Jamaica in 2017. I really look forward to learning more about the island and the book discussions :)

I'm glad, Missy J. and looking ahead to different genres of her writing. Now, from your post, I am opening myself to Goodison's humor, too.