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A Newsletter from the Desk of
Dr. Anderson Reynolds
January 9, 2026
Highlights of 2025 & Other Stories
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Happy New Year!!
I wish to say a big thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me in my life’s mission to encourage the artistic expression of St. Lucian culture and to promote that culture worldwide. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and bountiful New Year. May we all step boldly into the future.
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Books of 2025
As one year has ended and another begins, I have much for which to be thankful. Two of my books were published in mid-year: Magna: A Memoir of the Enduring Spirit, and The Promised Land, the first book of the Vieux Fort Chronicles series, both to great reviews. My third book for the year, Saint Lucia at the Crossroads, which is already on Amazon and will be available in St. Lucia later in the month, was published late November, bringing the total number of my published books to nine.
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MAGNA: A Memoir of the Enduring Human Spirit
"A tale of the best in the human spirit…”
—Allan Weekes, author of Talk of the Devil.
“A heartfelt reflection on personal and shared history…A tender memoir of identity, society, and determination." —Booklife (Editor’s Pick)
"A gripping story that keeps you hooked and wanting more as the narrative progresses." —Writers Digest
“Exceptionally lucid and unrelenting in its candor, extravagant in detail, unbridled in its laudatory acknowledgement of the mother figure."
—Modeste Downes, author of A Lesson on Wings
“A fantastic read for anyone who loves stories about family, culture, and the incredible strength people have in the face of hardship.” —K.C. Finn, Readers’ Favorite (starred review)
“A wonderful book… a rich reading experience… This will be an important book for many people." —Anya Achtenberg, author of Blue Earth
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The Promised Land
“The Promised Land speaks to the great human drama of the marginalized and dispossessed quests for material well-being, empowerment, enfranchisement, and self-determination.” — Jako Books
“A biopsy of the disease of underdevelopment in a Caribbean town…For anyone who genuinely cares about the future betterment of life for the people of Vieux Fort, The Promised Land offers an uncompromising analysis and plenty of good advice!”
—Dr. Jolien Harmsen, author of A History of St. Lucia
"A compelling and heartrending examination of Vieux Fort, a community crippled by neglect and exploitation, yet rich in potential, and a roadmap toward recovery and revitalization." — Alexander Clarke, business innovator
"The Promised Land offers compelling political commentary and analysis that address the burning issue of the underdevelopment of a post-colonial Caribbean town." —Modeste Downes, author of Phases
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Saint Lucia at a Crossroads
Saint Lucia at a Crossroads presents an intriguing analysis of St. Lucian politics and a provocative critique and comparison of post-colonial St. Lucian governments. However, the book transcends politics. It is a meditation on nationhood and the destiny of a people.
— From the Publisher
”… an independent, penetrating, unvarnished, and thought-provoking assessment of the political, social, and economic constraints and opportunities St. Lucia must contend with..."
—Dr. Prosper Raynold, Professor Emeritus of Economics
"A bold and brilliant analysis of a troubled political period in the author's beloved country...This fascinating and well-researched study of St. Lucia’s political landscape will be sure to astound you.”
—Gyanchand Rayman, author of Metamorphosis
"Saint Lucia at a Crossroads takes a brave, hard look at St. Lucia’s recent politics in all of its incarnations...Readers are likely to ask themselves (and perhaps answer!) some very pertinent questions about historical legacy, race, colour, and identity.”
—Dr. Jolien Harmsen, author of A History of St. Lucia
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Pierre Vindicated: A Post-Election Analysis
Back in the 2021 general elections campaign, few were excited about or impressed with Philip J Pierre as the one leading the charge to get SLP back in the saddle. Some thought that with Pierre, they were simply getting a watered-down version of Dr. Kenny Anthony. Yet he has emphatically silenced his doubters with not one, but now two landslide election victories, matching the feat of Dr. Kenny Anthony, who in 1997 swept aside a Dr. Vaughn Lewis-led UWP, and again in 2001, but with Dr. Morella Joseph at the helm.
Please read on ...
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CARIFESTA Brought Many Gains
Coming on the heels of the publication of my two latest books—Magna: A Memoir of the Enduring Human Spirit, and The Promised Land—CARIFESTA XV couldn’t have come at a better time for me, for I viewed the festival as a great opportunity to expand my readership. But it turned out that gaining a larger market for my books was the least of the fruits of my attendance and participation.
Please read on ...
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At a public meeting held next to Vieux Fort’s Independence Square on the evening of May 21, 2025, and in which Dr. Kenny Anthony was, apparently by design, the sole presenter and unaccompanied by his parliamentary colleagues, the incumbent Vieux Fort South District Rep announced, in no uncertain terms, that he would be bowing out of elective politics.
Please read on...
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Other Notable Stories of 2025
In other 2025 notable literary news, Guyanese writer David Babydeen was nominated for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature; iconic St. Lucian poet and cultural commentator John Robert Lee published his 10th poetry collection, After Poems, Psalms; and world-renowned St. Lucian writer Canisia Lubrin won the 2025 Carol Shields Book Prize.
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Award-winning academic and Guyana Prize recipient David Dabydeen has been officially nominated for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature by European and Chinese scholars, marking a rare moment of global literary recognition for a writer from a small developing nation. Please read on.
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Peepal Tree Press publishes John Robert Lee’s 10th poetry collection, After Poems, Psalms. According to Bermudian poet Nancy Anne Miller, Lee's poems in this collection "never stop being human as he fleshes out the word into his own pilgrimage of faith. Each time a different journey with a step-by-step struggle. Sometimes historical, sometimes cultural, sometimes as personal as old age. This traversing is done with a quietude of language that is Lee’s hallmark. Indeed, E.E. Cummings’ words resonate with his style: ‘I am a little church no great cathedral.’ Thus, Lee’s lamenting lines linger with the transformative power of a steady, searchful prayer.”
Please read on...
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Saint Lucian writer Canisia Lubrin, has won a major prize for her debut short story collection Code Noir. She is originally from Jacmel, Anse La Raye/Canaries. Code Noir is the Winner of The 2025 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. The USD$150,000 award is the largest English-language literary prize in the world for women and non-binary authors.
Please read on...
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