By Yolanda T. Marshall

This year’s Carnival season is drawing to a close. Kudos to all the Mas Bands, masqueraders, musicians, and the Festival Management Committee for their hard work. Our Caribbean community deserves recognition, and our culture should be preserved. Here are a few books highlighting our Caribbean experiences.

‘Membering

Written by Austin Clarke

“The unforgettable memoir of Giller Prize-winning author and poet Austin Clarke, who has been called “Canada’s first multicultural writer.” Austin Clarke is a distinguished and celebrated novelist and short-story writer. His works often centre around the immigrant experience, which he writes with humour, compassion, happiness, and sorrow. In ’Membering, Clarke shares his experiences growing up in Barbados and moving to Toronto to attend university in 1955 before becoming a journalist. With vivid realism, he describes Harlem of the ’60s, meeting and interviewing Malcolm X and writers Chinua Achebe and LeRoi Jones. Clarke went on to become a pioneering instructor of Afro-American Literature at Yale University and inspired a new generation of Afro-American writers.” – Dundurn Press, 2015.

When September Comes: And Other Poems

Written by Peter Jailall

“Peter Jailall continues his search for the place called home in his third volume of poetry, exploring the “open, dangerous” landscape of a post-September 11th world. In this climate of globalisation, none are untouched by the threats of terrorism or the spoils of modernisation and its effect on our environment. As poet, teacher and storyteller, Peter’s unique gift for the blending of language – from Caribbean-accented English to Hindi – allows him to paint beautiful dichotomies between the Guyana of his birth and the Canada that is his current home.” – Dundurn Press, 2003.

Pine Tart to Warm Your Heart

Written by Shabana Lall

” ‘Pine Tart to Warm Your Heart’ ” is about a little Guyanese girl who experiences the art of making cultural treats with her mother. She does not know what she’s making but enjoys the process. When she gets a taste of the finished product, she loves it so much she does not want to share it. She comes up with some creative hiding places. Then, she learns firsthand what it means to share love through food.” – Independently published, 2024.

Sweet Sorrel Stand

Written by Yolanda T. Marshall

“Rose and Nicolas loved their favourite Caribbean sorrel drink so much that the siblings decided to create a sorrel stand with the assistance of their parents. Their Sweet Sorrel Stand was a success in the neighbourhood. The drink’s main ingredient is the Roselle plant (Sorrel), a hibiscus native to West Africa. The red flower buds are boiled, strained, and sweetened with sugar, ginger, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves. It is served with ice once cooled for a couple of hours or overnight. It is known to be very rich in antioxidants. Traditionally, this drink is served during the Christmas holidays. It is a refreshing alternative to lemonade on a hot summer day.”- Garnalma Press, 2018.

Please support local bookstores, such as A Different Booklist, Nile Valley Books and Knowledge Bookstore.