The Caribbean Review of Books (New vol. 1, no. 19, February 2009)

<strong>Review</strong>s 6 <strong>The</strong> X file Jeremy Taylor on Michael X: A Life in Black and White, by John L. Williams 10 Praise songs Mervyn Morris on Selected Poems, by Ian McDonald, ed. Edward Baugh Editor: Nicholas Laughlin Publisher: Jeremy Taylor Editorial assistant: Mirissa De Four Marketing: Caroline Neisha Taylor Contributing editors: Jonathan Ali, Vahni Capildeo, Christopher Cozier, Brendan de Caires, Anu Lakhan Editorial board: David Dabydeen, Edwidge Danticat, Marlon James, Jane King, Ian McDonald, Annie Paul, Kim Robinson Walcott, Olive Senior Original design: Illya Furlonge-Walker, Form & Function Design Prepress and printing: <strong>Caribbean</strong> Paper and Printed Products (CPPP) Ltd. Cover illustration: Detail <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> N Train (2008), by Phillip Thomas; mixed media on linen, 66 x 150 inches; courtesy Phillip Thomas and the National Gallery <strong>of</strong> Jamaica Photo credits: page 10, Ian McDonald, courtesy Macmillan <strong>Caribbean</strong>; page 13, Jacob Ross, courtesy Jacob Ross; page 21, Kamau Brathwaite, courtesy Salt Publishing; pages 28 and 29, T’in Cow Fat Cow images, by Nicholas Laughlin, courtesy Nicholas Laughlin <strong>The</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Books</strong> ISSN: 1811-4873 <strong>New</strong> <strong>vol</strong>. 1, <strong>no</strong>. <strong>19</strong>, <strong>February</strong> <strong>2009</strong> Published quarterly by Media and Editorial Projects Ltd. (MEP) for <strong>The</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Books</strong>, a <strong>no</strong>t-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it company incorporated under the laws <strong>of</strong> Trinidad and Tobago 6 Prospect Avenue, Maraval, Port <strong>of</strong> Spain, Trinidad and Tobago T: (868) 622-3821 F: (868) 628-0639 E: crb@meppublishers.com www.caribbeanreview<strong>of</strong>books.com Copyright © <strong>2009</strong> by <strong>The</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Books</strong>. All rights reserved. No part <strong>of</strong> this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent <strong>of</strong> the publisher. <strong>The</strong> original <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Books</strong> was edited by Samuel B. Bandara and published quarterly from <strong>19</strong>91 to <strong>19</strong>94 by the University <strong>of</strong> the West Indies Publishers’ Association (UWIPA) in Mona, Jamaica. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Books</strong> considers unsolicited fiction and poetry, and letters to the editor. All submissions may be edited for length and clarity. Supported by: No. <strong>19</strong> • <strong>February</strong> <strong>2009</strong> 12 Family matters Melissa Richards on Pynter Bender, by Jacob Ross 16 Home and away Rhoda Bharath on <strong>Caribbean</strong> Literature After Independence: <strong>The</strong> Case <strong>of</strong> Earl Lovelace, ed. Bill Schwartz, and A Place in the World: Essays and Tributes in Ho<strong>no</strong>ur <strong>of</strong> Earl Lovelace at 70, ed. Funso Aiyejina 20 On broken ground F.S.J. Ledgister on <strong>Caribbean</strong> Culture: Soundings on Kamau Brathwaite, ed. Annie Paul 23 <strong>The</strong> contender Sharon Millar on Sylvester Devenish: Trinidad’s Poet, by Anthony de Verteuil In brief Ronald Cummings on Valmiki’s Daughter, by Shani Mootoo (page 14); Ge<strong>of</strong>frey Philp on Daddy Sharpe, by Fred W. Kennedy (page <strong>19</strong>); Lisa Allen-Agostini on Into the Mosaic, by Marlene St Rose (page 25) Etc. 3 Marginalia <strong>New</strong>s about <strong>Caribbean</strong> books and writers 4 Reading list Browsing the ether 5 <strong>The</strong> 2008 CRB books <strong>of</strong> the year <strong>The</strong> CRB’s editors recommend ten outstanding books from last year 26 “Where the borders are” Leonardo Padura talks to Gavin O’Toole about journalism, literature, and freedom <strong>of</strong> expression in Cuba 30 Prosimetrum Fred D’Aguiar on the elasticity <strong>of</strong> space and time in the fiction <strong>of</strong> Wilson Harris Portfolio Nicholas Laughlin on T’in Cow Fat Cow and mas as protest art Poems “Just Like That”, by Tanya Shirley (page 15); “A Surveyor’s Journal”, by Ishion Hutchinson (page 22)