Bibliography of women writers from the Caribbean (1831-1986)

375 Pages·1989·15.185 MB·English

by  Brenda F. Berrian

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WOMEN WRITERS
FROM THE CARIBBEAN
(1831-1986)

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WOMEN WRITERS
FROM THE CARIBBEAN
(1831-1986)
Brenda F. Berrian
and
G
Aart, Broek
IP
Three Continents Press
Washington, D.C.
Z
ISTS
Bel
1739
Writers portrayed
on the front cover,
top to bottom:
Urefia de Sapome Henriquez
Gertrudis Gomez
de Avellaneda
Phyllis Shand Allfrey
Louise Bennett
Jean Rhys
©Brenda F. Berrian, 1989
First Edition
Three Continents Press
1901 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. XP
Washington D.C. 20006
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Berrian, Brenda F.
Bibliography of women writers from the Caribbean.
Includes index.
1. Caribbean literature—Women authors—Bibliography.
2. Caribbean literature—Women authors—History and
criticism. I. Title.
Z1595.B46 1989 [PN849.C3] 808.8°99287 86-51311
ISBN 0-89410-600-7
ISBN 0-89410-601-5 (pbk.)
All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written per-
mission of the publisher, except for brief
quotations in reviews or articles.
Cover art by Max Winkler
©Three Continents Press, 1989
yy “ex
tN€e
epee,
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
We wish to express our appreciation to colleagues, friends,
and women writers from the Caribbean, Guyana, Guyane, and Suri-
nam for their help to bring this project to its completion.
In Great Britain, John La Rose, founder of the New Beacon
Press is thanked for the bibliographical references and books
found in his bookstore in London.
In France, Christiane Megy and Marie-Elisabeth Bouscarle
are appreciated for their searches at Présence Africaine, 1'Har-
mattan, and Editions Khartala. A special thanks to Maryse Condé
is extended for her willingness to make additions to the biblio-
graphy presented to her.
In Jamaica, Edward Baugh, Victor Chang, editor of Path-
ways, and Mervyn Morris of the English Department at the Uni-
versity of the West Indies are thanked for the addresses and
names of Jamaican women writers. From the French and Spanish
Department at the University of the West Indies, Michael J. Dash,
Jean Small, and Betty Wilson are thanked for their contributions.
Without the help of such writers as Diane Browne, Peggy Campbell,
Christine Craig, Marguerite Curtin, Gloria Escoffery, Judith
Hamilton, Pamela Mordecai, Velma Pollard, Pat Prescord, and Olive
Senior, editor of Jamaica Journal, there would not have been
an extensive list of Jamaican women writers.
In the Netherlands, Mineke Schipper at the Free University
of Amsterdam, Astrid H. Roemer, Ann Decker of Sara Publishing
House, and Danielle Rustwijk all contributed to the Netherlands
and Surinam section.
In the United States, the former work study students--Kim-
berly Oliver, Ugochi Irondi, and Jacci Wills--are thanked for the
hours spent in the library to verify certain entries. The secre-
tarial help offerred by Brenda Vaughn-Smith; the encouragement of
Audre Lorde; the bibliographical references compiled by Virginia
H. Guyonneau at the University of Virginia are appreciated. Also,
thanks to Reinhard and Rhonda Sander at Amherst College for grant-
ing their permission for use of their personal bibliographical hold-
ngs.
Finally, the numerous hours spent by Edwin McBride at
the Computer Center of the University of Pittsburgh to bring
about the laser printing of this document are invaluable.
Brenda F. Berrian
University of Pittsburgh
Aart Broek
Almere, Netherlands

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction/ix
English Caribbean and Guyana:
Authors grouped by countries
1 Autobiography/Biography 10
IL. Broadcast Literature 11
Il. Children’s Literature 15
Iv. Novels 26
Vv. Short Stories 31
VI. Drama: Published Plays 56
Drama: Performed Plays 59
Vil. Folklore 63
VII. Poetry 66
IX. Other Writings by Authors 121
X. Criticism about Author’s Works 136
Book Reviews 153
XI. Interviews 165
French Caribbean and Guyane:
Authors Grouped by Countries 167
I Autobiography/Biography 170
Il. Broadcast Literature 170
Il. Children’s Literature 171
Iv. Drama: Performed Plays 172
Drama: Published Plays 173
174
Vv. Folklore
176
VI. Novels
182
VII. Short Stories
186
VIII. Poetry
IX. Criticism about Authors’ Works 199
Book Reviews 209
X. Other Writings by Authors 214
XI. Interviews 222
XII. ‘Translations 224
Netherlands Caribbean and Surinam:
Authors Grouped by Countries 226
I. Autobiography/Biography 228
Il. Children’s Literature 228
Ill. Drama 231
IV. Folklore 232
V. Juvenile Literature 234
VI. Novels 236
VII. — Poetry 237
VIII. Short Stories 244
IX. Other Writings by Authors 245
X. Criticism of Author’s Work 247
XI. Interview 247
XII. Commentary 247
Spanish Caribbean: Authors Grouped by Countries 248
L Autobiography/Biography 253
Il. Broadcast Literature 255
III. Children’s Literature 256
IV. Novels 258
V. Short Stories 260
VI. Drama: Published Plays 268
Drama: Performed Plays 273
VII. ‘Folklore 276
VIII. Other Writings by Authors 277
IX. Poetry: Cuba 283
Dominican Republic 311
Puerto Rico 314
X. Criticism about Authors’ Works 329
Book Reviews 341
XI. Interviews 342
XII. ‘Translations 342
Index 347
Biographical Notes
361
INTRODUCTION
Primarily, this bibliography lists creative works--novels,
short stories, poetry, folklore, autobiographies, biographies,
and children's literature--by women writers of Caribbean litera-
ture and the Guyanas in English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Creole,
Sranen Tongo, and Papiamento. Secondly, literary criticism,
cook books or book reviews by the writers as well as criticism
of their works by local and international critics are included.
An effort to examine the majority of the entries cited has
occurred; however, possible inaccurate references have been in-
cluded, because it has been impossible to verify all the biblio-
graphical information. In several cases, either the name of
the publishing company or the actual date of publication is
missing on the book jacket. This explains the usage “n.p."
for no identified publishing company and "n.d." for no listed
ite.
Some writers are known by both their maiden and married
names. Others chose to alternate between a pseudonym or their
actual name. Consequently, beside a writer's name either the
pseudonym or “a.k.a.” is written to acquaint the reader with
the various names employed by a writer.
Constant migration occurs among the women writers be-
tween their island homes, Europe, Canada, or the United States
and vice-versa. This results in the birth of children on for-
eign soil and explains why me authors are identified with
two countries by their names.
This bibliography is divided into four sections by lan-
guage--English Caribbean and Guyana, French Caribbean and
Guyane, Netherlands Caribean and Surinam, and the Spanish
Caribbean. The total number of women is 1,067 and justifies
the reason for dividing their works in separate sections. The
division by language makes it easier to identify a specific
writer within her own region.
From the English Caribbean and Guyana a total of 558 wri-
ters are recognized. Among this number 209 are from Jamaica,
92 from Guyana, 89 from Trinidad and Tobago, 40 from Barbados,
and the remaining 129 from the smaller islands.
From the French Caribbean and Guyane a total of 126 wri-
ters are recognized. Among this number 47 are from Haiti, 39
from Martinique, 36 from Guadeloupe, and 4 from Guyane.
From the Netherlands Caribbean and Surinam a total of 65
writers are recognized. The Largest number of 24 comes from
Curagao with the remainding 41 from Aruba, Bonaire, St. Maarten,
and Surinan.
ix
From the Spanish Caribbean a total of 318 writers are re-
cognized. Among this number are 151 from Cuba, 130 from Puerto
Rico, 33 from the Dominican Republic, and 4 unidentified writers
As one can see, the most published women writers from the Carib-
bean are English and Spanish-speakers.
To explain the specified dates of 1831-1986 for this
bibliography, there is a tendency to believe that the majority
of Caribbean and Guyanese women writers have been productive only
since the twentieth century. In the case of the Spanish and
French Caribbean sections of the bibliography, this assumption
bears no truth. As early as 1838, the Cuban, Maria de las Mer-
cedes Santa Cruz y Montalvo published her memoirs, Souvenirs et
mémoires in French followed by the novel, Sab (1841), written by
another Cuban, Gertrudis Gémez de Avellenada. Marie Angelique
Sampeur is credited for being the first Haitian woman writer with
the appearance of her poems in Haitian journals, La Ronde (1898-
1902) and Haiti Littéraire et Scientifique (1912-1913). In 1880,
the Martiniquian, Thértse de Bentzon, produced the novel, Yvette
histoire d'une jeune créole.
Women writers from the English and Netherlands Caribbean,
Guyana, and Surinam began to publish in 1831. From Bermuda hails
Mary Prince, the first English Caribbean woman to record her
experiences as a slave in her The History of Mary Prince, A West
Indian Slave, Related by Herself. From Jamaica comes the four
earliest known women writers, Mary Seacole, Pamela C. Smith,
Clarine Stephenson, and Mary F. Lockett. Mary Seacole published
her autobiographical travelogue, The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs.
Seacole of Many Lands in London in 1857. Pamela C. Smith pub-
lished a collection of folklore in 1899 known as Anancy Stories.
Clarine Stephenson published the poem, “The White Man's Prophecy”
in the August 21, 1909 edition of the Jamaica Times; Mary F.
Lockett published the novel, Christopher in 1909. From Curagao,
Elizabeth Hart Booi published a play, Adam i Eva den Paradijis
in Papiamento in 1922; Nilda Maria Geerdink-Jersun published a
Papiamento collection of folk stories, Corsouw ta conta,
in 1944,
Although the senior editor has been involved with this pro-
ject since 1983 and has compiled the work of the English, French,
and Spanish sections, special attention and thanks must be given
to Aart Broek for his work on the Netherlands Caribbean and
Surinam. Without Aart Broek, there would not have been such a
section.
To repeat the last paragraph of the introduction to the
Bibliography of African Women Writers and Journalists, efforts
have been made to compile as accurate and exhaustive volume as
possible. The student, professor, and scholar are to be aware
that more work is definitely needed. All entries are
alphabetized. Each writer's country of birth is listed whenever
possible, and the volume is divided by genre. The most useful
and available bibliographical studies on the authors have been