Book on T&T’s Literary Heritage to be released this week

LiTTscapes – Landscapes of Fiction of Trinidad and Tobago, a new book on the literary heritage of Trinidad and Tobago will be released this week.

Written by Dr Kris Rampersad, a journalist, educator and media, cultural and literary consultant, the book captures through short descriptions how the islands have been represented in fiction by some of its most famous, and not so famous, children of letters, set against actual photographs.

Though in the making for nearly a decade, Rampersad, who holds a PhD in Literature from the University of the West Indies, said she felt this year of observance of the 50^th Anniversary of Independence of Trinidad and Tobago seemed an opportune time for its release as the book celebrates the rich literary heritage of Trinidad and Tobago and the literary imagination of those, who, though writing fiction, make some of the most poignant commentaries, presentations, representations and analyses of the experiences of invasion, migration, colonialism and settlement that has brought the islands to its current point in development.

By the book, Rampersad hopes to also launch ongoing interactive activities to stimulate appreciation for local literature, reading and literary activity not just within the school system and libraries but in informal spaces across the country and by that, trigger downstream creative enterprises that impact the communities from and about which the writers wrote.

Some 100 works of fiction by some 60 writers of Trinidad and Tobago are captured in the easy-ready, coffee-table styled full-colour celebratory photographic compendium of the representations of Trinidad and Tobago’s fiction.  It includes portrayals of the islands by both its award winning Nobel Laureates – VS Naipaul and Derek Walcott; other award winning writers as Michael Anthony, Earl Lovelace, Samuel Selvon, Ismith Khan, CLR James, Seepersad Naipaul, Neil Bissoondath, Lawrence Scott, Robert Antoni, Shani Mootoo, Ramabai Espinet, Dionne Brand, Lakshmi Persaud and other lesser known writers.

A key feature of the book is how it invites and helps readers to experience the islands through the eyes of the characters in fiction or the writers themselves, and to engage communities that birthed and nurtured the authors in that kind of appreciation.

The book’s broad-based target readership include the lay public as well as students, academics, schools and policy makers among others nationally and internationally, and has been identified as a key elements of stimulating the knowledge economy of Trinidad and Tobago. 

Key Features

Ø  More than 200 pages

Ø  Full colour, easy reading, coffee table-style

Ø  More than 500 photographs of Trinidad and Tobago

Ø  Features more than 100 works by more than 60 writers

Ø  Captures intimate real life and fictional details of island life

Ø  Details exciting literary moments, literary heritage walking tours and cross country excursions

Ø  Essential for literary heritage tourism, students, policy makers, academics, lay readers

Rampersad is also author of Finding a Place and Through the Political Glass Ceiling.

For information and orders contact: metrobooksuppliers@tstt.net.tt or call (1 868) 623 3462 or lolleaves@gmail.com or (1 868) 377 0326.