An evening of Caribbean authors

An evening of Caribbean authors

The Caribbean, particularly Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, will definitely be in the house at Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., at S. Portland Ave., on May 7 at 7:30 p.m., when three local women authors — Jennifer Davis Carey (Barbados), “Near the Hope”;
Esther Figueroa (Jamaica), “Limbo,” and Elizabeth Nunez (Trinidad), “Not For Everyday Use,” will read from their books.

Cornell professor Carole Boyce Davies (Trinidad & Tobago), author of “Caribbean Spaces: Escapes from Twilight Zones,” will provide introductions. Professor Davies’ book draws on personal experience and critical theory to illuminate the dynamic complexity of Caribbean culture and tracing its migratory patterns throughout the Americas.

The program is a partnership of local publisher Akashic, known for publishing Caribbean authors, three independent publishers and Fort Greene’s Greenlight Bookstore and will also feature a discussion with the authors.

About the books. Brooklyn native Jennifer Davis Carey has roots in Barbados and her “Near the Hope” moves from the lush world of Barbados to the hazy glow of New York at the turn of the 20th century, following a young emigrant woman who leaves her beloved island to navigate uncharted challenges.

In Esther Figueroa’s suspenseful novel “Limbo,” the challenges of her native Jamaica are explored through the story of the dynamic leader of an environmental organization set to expose corporate greed and political hypocrisy in the form of a hotel chain polluting the island’s shores, despite threats to her life.

Award-winning Trinidadian author of eight novels and Hunter College professor Elizabeth Nunez’s memoir, “Not for Everyday Use,” reflects on her own experience of Diaspora in which she wrestles with her mother’s determination to have her leave her Trinidadian homeland for America.

In the Borough home to 400,000 Caribbeans–Brooklyn, Greenlight Books is a perfect hub for this Caribbean literary event, fated to be an enlightening and enjoyable evening. Refreshments from Gloria’s restaurant, along with music, will be part of the ambiance, too.