The first thing that intrigued me about Bajan author Jasmine Sealy’s debut novel was that her main characters had Greek names: Cronus, Iapetus, Atlas, Pleione, Calypso, Nautilus. Admittedly, I struggled to imagine how the names could represent a Caribbean narrative, but that was the exact reason I wanted to read The Island of Forgetting. I…
Tag: caribbeanbooks
The Island Of Forgetting
Jasmine Sealy | Barbados The Island of Forgetting explores aspects of Caribbean life that goes against the perception of the tropical paradise trope from vacation brochures. Sealy deftly maneuvers us into the lives of a Barbadian family struggling with generational depression and the secrets that hold them hostage from their past, the knowledge which would…
100 Caribbean Books That Made Me
In 2020 the Bocas Caribbean Literary Festival polled readers to suggest Caribbean books they grew up reading and loved, and published its 100 Caribbean Books That Made Us listing. In June 2022 for Caribbean American Heritage month and Read Caribbean month on Instagram, I decided to spend the month listing the 100 Caribbean books that…
In Conversation with Simfoni Nibbs
Simfoni Nibbs, the founder of Books ‘n Bush Tea, first came on my radar in 2020 when she was interviewed on an Instagram Live and I’ve followed her page ever since. So, when she announced that she would be starting a book truck business on the U.S. Virgin Islands, I was intrigued and excited for…
The Garden of Broken Things
Francesca Momplaisir | Haiti Similar to a plot of land that can grow yams, potatoes, herbs for seasoning food, plantains, and even nourish one’s soul, The Garden of Broken Things grows and harvests multiple disfigured relationships within one Haitian family. Francesca Momplaisir’s sophomore novel explores the complexities associated not only with family resentments and jealousies,…
In Conversation with Marsha Massiah-Aaron
As a continuation of my special series for Caribbean American Heritage month and Read Caribbean month, I’m pleased to highlight this powerful ally of Caribbean literature: the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF), a committed supporter of Caribbean books and storytelling led by its founder Marsha Massiah-Aaron. Marsha and her team are small and mighty: they…
Here We Read For Fun 