National Caribbean American Heritage Month has been celebrated officially, annually every June since 2006 when the first Presidential Proclamation was issued by President George Bush. The theme for NCAHM 2022 is “Standing in Our Legacy to Reignite Our Future”.  For ICS, June represents an opportunity to bring together Caribbean American community leaders across the country to address common concerns; to allow Caribbean Americans everywhere to feel a sense of place in the American public discourse; and to bring highlights of the contributions of Caribbean immigrants to the USA.

THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022.

BOOK PICKS by CARIBBEAN READS

TOP 30 CARIBBEAN READS FOR CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH! Happy Caribbean-American Heritage month! I am happy to be guiding you through a few book picks for this month. Even though I almost exclusively read Caribbean literature now, this was a very difficult process because there were so many wonderful books from which to choose! Selecting just six in each category meant excluding some excellent titles, however, I tried to include a variety of genres so that there would be something for everyone. The difficulty of the selection process made me proud, though, and I hope that it encourages you to pick up some of these suggestions, to go on your own journey, exploring as many Caribbean authors as you can. Happy Reading! Carol Carol Mitchell

FICTION

The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey PeePal Tree Press Ltd. (2020) The Winner of the Costa Book Award, 2020, The Mermaid of Black Conch tells the story of a fisherman whose song attracts Aycayia, an indigenous woman cursed hundreds of years before to live as a mermaid. Their mutual attraction leads to a series of events exploring belonging and much more.

The Bread the Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini Myriad Editions (2021) Short-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2022, The Bread the Devil Knead, introduces us to Allie. Confident and ambitious, she portrays an exterior of success while harboring a dangerous secret about her domestic life. This is an engaging read that digs deep into our society’s relationship with domestic abuse and uncovers a path to redemption. Allen-Agostini manages to be humorous while addressing very serious social issues with great insight and respect.

Greyborn Rising by Derry Sandy CaribbeanReads (2019) A group called The Order, charged with maintaining the delicate balance between the world’s realms are joined by an eclectic group of recruits who risk torture, dismemberment, zombification, and death as they face a growing variety of grave threats and gruesome creatures.

CLASSICS

The final category is a list of six books which just don’t get old no matter how much time passes. Plays and poetry by Derek Walcott including Omeros, White Egrets, Dream on Monkey Mountain and more. Green Days by the River  Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Beyond a Boundary by C. L. R. James The Dragon Can’t Dance by Earl Lovelace The Book of Night Women by Marlon James  READ OUR BOOKS

Most of the nations in the Caribbean have English, French or Spanish as their official language. Also, most locals actually speak Creole. This native language is derived by blending multiple languages. There are numerous versions of this, such as the French Creole spoken in Guadalupe and Martinique which is a mixture of French and various African and West Indian languages.

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JUNE 3

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