“Rodney did not sleep to dream” Rodney died in 1980, a mere twenty-seven years ago. It is quite remarkable that in such short historical time, a generation would become virtually oblivious to Walter Rodney’s intellectual stature, his political contribution to the struggle for democracy in Guyana, and his approach to politics that transcended narrow, racial [...]

McLemee on James on The Sopranos In 6 seasons over 10 years, “The Sopranos” has confirmed again and again C.L.R. James’s point about the gangster as an archetypal figure of American society. But the creators have gone far beyond his early insights. I say that with all due respect to James’s memory–and with the firm [...]

Quick links – Kwame Dawes on his “first real influence”, Gerard Manley Hopkins. – Marlon James on running afoul of US immigration. – Geoffrey Philp on his new children’s book, Grandpa Sydney’s Anancy Stories. – Nalo Hopkinson on where you can buy her handicraft online–latest item on offer is a music box. – Tishani Doshi [...]

“I will tell you…” “I will tell you,” I said firmly. “They do not have baby.” (No direct connection with Caribbean literature, but I couldn’t resist.)

Who’s counting? This throwaway comment by Fran Lebowitz–quoted over at Gawker, in a post about the 80th birthday party at the Strand, my favourite used book shop in New York–got me thinking: Fran Lebowitz got off a good line about wishing the Strand was her apartment, and how New York is divided into two groups [...]