I recently discovered that June is Caribbean Heritage Month. Finding this out - especially being half-Jamaican - I had to dive into this month by celebrating through eating my favorite foods (jerk chicken, patties, plantains, and oxtail), sharing stories with family members, and, of course, reading great books.

I visited the stacks to gather up some books that gave me an understanding of the Caribbean/West Indies, embraced my heritage, and so much more. We’re still realizing how rich and vibrant Caribbean/West Indie culture is!

Here are just a few of the books by Caribbean authors that I absolutely love (and I'm looking forward to reading more!):

These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card (2020)
Krik? Krak! By Edwidge Danticat (1995)
Here Comes the Sun: A Novel by Nicole Dennis-Benn (2016)
Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael López (2015)
The Book of Night Women by Marlon James (2009)
The Emigrants by George Lamming (1954) 
Miguel Street by V.S. Naipaul (1960)
West Indian Folk-Tales by Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock; illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe (1966, 1983 printing)
The Odyssey: A Stage Version by Derek Walcott (1993)

You may find more treasures in your personal library collection. To find more at the Society Library, try a search in our catalog for Caribbean literature, Caribbean poetry, or West Indian poetry.