On five of the
many amazing books by one of the most talented and interesting Caribbean
American authors (she was born
in Haiti and moved to New York to join her parents at the age of 12):
1)
Breath,
Eyes, Memory (1994): Danticat
published her debut novel when she was only 25, and it’s stunningly powerful
and affecting.
2)
The
Dew Breaker (2004): I read this
linked story collection/novel for the first time to include it in my next
book project, and was blown away. One of the most complex and potent 21st
century novels thus far.
3)
Brother
I’m Dying (2007): Danticat’s autobiography/family
memoir was a finalist for the National Book Award,
and deservedly so.
4)
Behind
the Mountain (2002): Danticat’s first
young adult novel walks a fine line very impressively, maintaining her complex
themes but doing so pitch-perfectly for that younger audience.
5)
Claire
of the Sea Light (2013): I haven’t had
the chance to read Danticat’s newest novel yet—but with a track record like
this, I know I’ll enjoy it when I do!
Of all the
Caribbean connections I could highlight, I’m not sure any is more worth sharing
than such a unique and talented voice. Check her out!
March recap this
weekend,
Ben
PS. What do you
think? Other connections you’d share?
I, too, loved Breath, Eyes, Memory -- sad and lovely and sad stories of love and violation and hope. Kric? Krac! (1996) the call and response to stories -- beautiful, Edwidge is not afraid of the dark side. One of my all time favorites is Farming of Bones (1998). It's a love story set in the 1930s when Haitian workers labored in the Dominican cane fields. Nasty place to work. Trujillo (dictator of the DR at the time) decides to massacre tens of thousands of Haitians. The story of work, and love, and flight, and peril. Trujillo's thugs identified Haitians because they couldn't pronounce the Spanish word for parsley correctly -- it was called the Parsley Massacre http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19880967 Danticat is an amazing writer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna! *Farming* makes for a really interesting read alongside Alvarez's *In the Time of the Butterflies* and Diaz's *Brief Wondrous Life*--a Trujillo trilogy!
ReplyDeleteYes it does, at least for Butterflies -- I must put Diaz on my reading list.
ReplyDelete