Im Hotep,



I am interested in hearing what the villagers think of Toni Morrison's work. I think she's only written two books worth reading and I find her depictions of Afrikan men troublesome. I will wait to hear what you all say before saying more.

I love her work, her novels are like poetry. The way she writes leaves me feeling uncomfortable and uneasy and deleriously happy,it's as If I can feel the characters breathe. It's not for me a case ofher workbeing thought provoking (as I agree more often than notit isn't) it's more that I appreciate her work simply for what it is.

One of the great American writers of the last quarter-century of any race.Last two novels have been tepid but her body of work is very strong.

@Hat..I am no expert on women's novels and writers but have read many of the stuff coming out from the better writers, usually due to reasoning with sisters who recommended them and read them.

I think Morrison is one of the better women writers which have been produced. I think her characterisation of men is probably the best and fairest I have read. Mindful this is a woman's viewe and that is her bias so we are not necessarily endorse all that she believes. But I think she is a balanced sister.

But she is writer from the female gaze and we need to keep that central. But Sula, Bluest Eye and that body of work I think is excellent. Beloved was a complete jump and revelation in technique, style and complexity and I had to read it twice to get a handle on it...Well I think I have because it is that type of book.

But it was a brilliant piece of work and really got the emotions and brain working. Her book after that was it called Jazz or something...I did not read....

She deserves her stature and has done the work and has the skills and creative eye which has earned her her stature..No grumbles from me...

I however was disappointed with her edited collections of essays on the Clarence Thomas affair and think she like too many black women was quick to rush to judgement and take the soft option of a so called analysis to make Thomas the villian and that woman the victim when she was as nasty and dishonest as him...hiding the tactics of a scorned woman who thought nothing of having sexual relations at work and with her boss who was married to a white woman which really pissed her off when he would not leave her and then comes up with this bogus sexual harrassment charge..

So I think she needs to stay out of the poltical analysis business and stick to her strenghts ...

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Fred B,



Excellent analysis.



I would like to expand my scope.Though I've read alot of literature in the diaspora, I can never get enough Please PM me with some examples of literature from your homeland that you recommnd?

@BS that is a hard one bro. First in my view African Amricans have a better pedigree of writers for a hundred and one reasons. But I can give you some titles of the classic Caribbean.

Too be honest I don't know much about contemporaryliterature coming from Britain because I have a prejudiced view that most of it is crap.

There is a book I would recommend to anyone and particularly yourself about the corruption of Caribbean politics and it is a master piece of hilarity..

One of the funniest things I have ever read. Called the 'Ruler of Hiroonah' by G C H Thomas published by Macmillan. I am sure you can get it, because of all those big Caribbean literature courses in many US colleges..Man you will laugh until you wet yourself. The sad thing is it is so true....every single word of it. But it covers the period from being part of Britain to independence and the skull duggery involved..

Another one is the Castle of my Skin by George Lamming from Barbados and another classic is The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon. Minty Alley by CLR James is a good and interesting read. Another book which is historically important, but as a piece of literature poor is A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid who teaches at an American uni so no probs getting that.

It is excellent and very very accurate in describing the corruption, drug dealing..women sleeping their way to the top and role of Arabs and Syrians and the complete shenanigans of Antiguan politics and history. Problem is Kincaid is just too angry and also morally hypocritical to do the book justice.

After all her solution was just to write angry books about her country and run off to the US for the good life, swearing never to return..Many educated Antiguans I know say that is the best way she could serve her country was to piss off and don't come back..

Will get back to you on this one and if I forget remind me please.

Peace.