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Books on
Haiti and the Caribbean
Paul Laraque and Jack Hirschman.
Open Gate An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry
(2001)
Hubert Cole.
Christophe: King of Haiti. New York: The Viking
Press, 1967.
C.L.R. James.
The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo
Revolution (1938)
Edourad Gissant.
Caribbean Doscourse (2004)
/ Barbara Harlow.
Resistance Literature (1987)
Josaphat B. Kubayanda.
The Poet's Africa: Africanness in the Poetry of Nicolas Guillen
and Aime Cesaire (1990)
David P. Geggus, ed.
The Impact of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World.
University of South Carolina Press, 2001.
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Open Gate: An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry
Edited by Paul Laraque and Jack
Hirschman
Reviews
Open Gate
is the first bilingual collection of modern Haitian Creole
poetry available to English readers. These stunning lyrics
provide a fascinating look into Haitian culture, addressing a
wide range of subjects--love, hardship, nature, and the violent
political repression endemic in Haiti. yet the humor, vitality,
and linguistic richness of these poems testify to Haiti's
indomitable spirit and the struggle for freedom.
--Publisher, Curbstone Press
This
essential poetic collection is divided into three sections: the
pioneers of modern Haitian Creole poetry, the poets of the
literary movement, "Society of Butterflies,"
representing the flowering of Haitian poetry in the sixties, and
The New Generation, featuring writers of the diaspora and poetry
of the last 15 years.
-- Book Description,
Amazon.com
This is a groundbreaking anthology. the very
existence of this collection demands respect for Haitian Creole
and the people who speak, write, and live in this language.
Haiti is more than a political and economic crisis, the same way
that Vietnam is more than a war.
Haiti is also
poetry of tender lyricism and ,ilitant fire. there is an
education here for those who are willing to learn; our teachers
range from pioneering writers like Paul Larague to dynamic young
poets like Patrick Sylvan. their voices have proven stronger and
more resilient than all the dictators and secret police in
Haiti's troubled history. At last these voices sing in English
too, and we should listen.
--Martin Espada
The first such
collection available in English,
Open Gate: An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry
begins with works from the grandfather
of Creole literature, Felix Morisseau-Leroy, and rounds out with
today's poets in diaspora. Edited by Paul Laraque and Jack
Hirschman, the collection addresses the poverty, violence, and
political struggle that characterize Haitian history, but there
are also poems celebrating love or nature or simply the
quotidian.
As
George Castera writes in "Blood," "Let's go see
the blood flow,/ darling./ For once in a lifetime,/ it's not
people's blood spilling,/ for once in the street/ it's not
animal's blood flowing,/ let's go see the blood flow,/ darling:/
the sun is setting."
--Publishers
Weekly The
poet Paul Laraque was born in Haiti in 1920. At present
Laraque devotes his time to his writing and to his work as
Secretary of the Association of Haitian Writers Abroad. Jack
Hirschman authored more than 25 translations of poetry from
8 languages. His most recent book is Endless Threshold.
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Sister Grief: Defined and Conquered in Jesus
By Yvonne Terry-Lewis
"Sister Grief: Defined and Conquered in Jesus" is an engaging book that confronts the universal experience of living with death and dying. The author personifies the personal loss of loved ones as "Sister Grief." The book, partly autobiographical, provides a holistic plan for conquering grief through faith, through a special relationship with Jesus. This plan is designed to help navigate one through the grieving process.
The book includes personal stories, poetry, testimonials, letters, practical suggestions, and strategies based on a love for the divinity in one's life. Although the circumstances that cause grief may be sad, this book is filled with love, encouragement, and hope that lead one towards spiritual health and wholeness.
What Consolation Is Christ to Suffering
The Michael D Terry Scholarship Board |
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Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in
America
By Melissa V.
Harris-Perry
According to the
author, this society has historically exerted
considerable pressure on black females to fit into one
of a handful of stereotypes, primarily, the Mammy, the
Matriarch or the Jezebel. The selfless
Mammy’s behavior is marked by a slavish devotion to
white folks’ domestic concerns, often at the expense of
those of her own family’s needs. By contrast, the
relatively-hedonistic Jezebel is a sexually-insatiable
temptress. And the Matriarch is generally thought of as
an emasculating figure who denigrates black men, ala the
characters Sapphire and Aunt Esther on the television
shows Amos and Andy and Sanford and Son, respectively.
Professor Perry
points out how the propagation of these harmful myths
have served the mainstream culture well. For instance,
the Mammy suggests that it is almost second nature for
black females to feel a maternal instinct towards
Caucasian babies.
As for the source
of the Jezebel, black women had no control over their
own bodies during slavery given that they were being
auctioned off and bred to maximize profits. Nonetheless,
it was in the interest of plantation owners to propagate
the lie that sisters were sluts inclined to mate
indiscriminately.
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updated 16 October 2007 |
