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Book Lists for Adults

Caribbean-American Heritage Month

June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month. Explore the titles below to learn about and celebrate the culture, history and heritage of the Caribbean.

Cooke, Christina, author.
FICTION COO
"Tired of not having a place to land, twenty-year-old Akúa flies from Canada to her native Jamaica to reconnect with her estranged sister Tamika. Their younger brother Bryson has recently passed from sickle cell anemia--the same disease that took their mother ten years prior-- and Akúa carries his remains in a small wooden box with the hope of reassembling her family. Over the span of two fateful weeks, Akúa and Tamika visit significant places from their childhood, but time spent with her sister only clarifies how different they are, and how years of living abroad have distanced Akúa rom her home culture."-- From publisher's description.

Francis-Sharma, Lauren, author.
FICTION FRA
Prudence Wright seems to have it all: a loving husband, Davis; a spacious home in Washington, DC; and the past glories of a successful career at McKinsey, which now enables her to dedicate her days to her autistic son Roland. When she and Davis head out for dinner with one of Davis's new colleagues on a stormy summer evening filled with startling and unwelcome interruptions, Prudence has little reason to think that certain details of her history might arise sometime between cocktails and the appetizer course. Yet when Davis's colleague turns out to be Matshediso, a man from Prudence's past, she is transported back to the formative months she spent as a law student in South Africa in 1996. As an intern at a Johannesburg law firm, Prudence attended sessions of the Truth and Reconciliation hearings, which uncovered the many horrors and human rights abuses of the Apartheid state, and which fundamentally shaped her sense of righteousness and justice. Prudence experienced personal horrors in South Africa as well, long hidden and now at risk of coming to light. When Matshediso finally reveals the real reason behind his sudden reappearance, he will force Prudence to examine her most deeply held beliefs and to excavate inner reserves of resilience and strength...With keen insight and gripping tension, Casualties of Truth explosively mines questions of whether we are ever truly able to remove the stains of our past and how we may attempt to reconcile with unquestionable wrongs.

Palmer, Soraya, author.
FICTION PAL
Two Jamaican-Trinidadian sisters in Brooklyn, Zora and Sasha Porter, drifting apart as they bear witness to their father's violence and their mother's worsening illness, must come together to answer to something more ancient and powerful than they know--and confront a long-buried family secret.

Garcia, R.S.A.
Sturgeon, Nebula, Locus, and Ignyte awards finalist R.S.A. Garcia's scifantasy debut novel—the first in a duology—in which Caribbean mythology meets The Witcher, introduces a world where women warrior-magicians rule, and a child princess and her bodyguard must flee an attempted coup and evade the wave of darkness sent to kill her. For 500 years Gaiea's Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead. Princess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she's still a child—not yet ten years old—and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen. There is time enough...until there isn't. For the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her—in the most horrific way imaginable: the assassination of Viella's mother. Now Viella is Queen. Luka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world and the secret that is burning inside him. Together, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it's up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom.
This electronic resource is available through the SCPL catalog.
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Roffey, Monique, author.
FICTION ROF
When a female musician is found murdered on a small tropical island, after a string of similar deaths, outraged local women take matters into their own hands. In this powerful new rewriting of the detective novel, Sora's death is the last straw and the beginning of something much larger, a revolution some are calling it. The event draws together four women who had never before seen each other as allies: a friend of the victim, the organizer of a sex workers' collective, a local activist, and the Prime Minister's wife. Tenderly, sometimes, hilariously, Passiontide chronicles how these women join forces and find new ways to help one another.

Chancy, Myriam J. A., 1970- author.
FICTION CHA
"From award-winning author Myriam J. A. Chancy comes an extraordinary and enduring story of two families forever joined by country-and by long-held secrets-and two girls with a bond that refuses to be broken. In 1940s' Port-au-Prince, Gertie and Sisi become fast childhood friends, despite being on opposite ends of the social and economic ladder. As young girls, they build their unlikely friendship-until a deathbed revelation ripples through their families and tears them apart. After François Duvalier's rule turns deadly in the 1950s, Sisi moves to Paris, while Gertie marries into a wealthy Dominican family. Across decades and continents, through personal successes and failures, they are parted and reunited, slowly learning the truth of their singular relationship. Finally, six decades later, with both women in the United States, a sudden phone call brings them back together once more to reckon with and forgive the past. Told with power and frankness, Village Weavers confronts the silences around class, race, and nationality; charts the moments when lives are irrevocably forced apart; and envisions two girls-connected their entire lives-who try to break inherited cycles of mistrust and find ways back into each other's hearts"-- Provided by publisher.

Channer, Colin, author.
811.6 CHA
"Assured but chance-inflected, ever rooted in the local but always world-aware, Console reconsiders languages, geographies, and memories as luminous soundscapes. With lyric dexterity, Colin Channer jolts old notions of New England, cross-fading from the Berkshires to Anguilla, from Connecticut to Senegal. A dissolve to the poet's childhood in Jamaica occurs after glimpsing an old record player in Providence, leading to the title poem's meditations on reggae, religion, marriage, justice, and transgressions in the home. With allusive links to photography, music, sea mammals, mistranslation, and the universal ritual of 'the walk,' Console reorganizes our sense of time, collapses and rebreaks the remembered and certain, renames the familiar, reaches for settled etymologies, and turns words inside out." -- Publisher's description.

Lewis, Lelani, author.
OVERSIZE 641.5972 LEW
"Code Noir is a cookbook steeped in history. Not only because of its title, which refers to a seventeenth-century decree in which King Louis XIV outlined the rules about how enslaved Africans in the French colonies should be treated, but also because it sheds light on the food and people who suffered through the gruesome course of history and came together in the Caribbean, bringing ingredients from the Old and New World to one plate. Inside, chef and culinary activist Lelani Lewis goes back to the roots of her Caribbean food culture, with classic dishes like jerk chicken, cod fritters, pepper pot stew, and Guinness punch. But she also shares new creations with typical Caribbean ingredients such as cassava, corn, coconut, lime, plantain, and chilies in creations such as plantain with peanut-lime salsa, sweet potato gratin with ginger cream, and a corn cream anglaise with caramelized guava"--Page [4] of cover.

Lord, Karen, 1968- author.
SCIENCE FICTION LOR
"Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, forensic therapist of the City, just helped put a serial killer behind bars. But she soon discovers that her investigation into seven unusual murders is not yet complete. A near-death experience throws her out of time and into a realm of labyrinths and spirits. There, she encounters brothers Chance and the Trickster, who have an otherworldly interest in the seemingly mundane crimes from her files. It appears the true mastermind behind the murders is still on the loose, chasing a myth to achieve immortality. Together, Miranda, Chance, and the Trickster must travel through conjured mazes, following threads of memory to locate the shadowy killer. As they journey deeper, they discover even more questions that will take pain and patience to answer. What is the price of power? Where is the path to redemption? And how can they stop the man -- or monster -- who would kill the innocent to live forever?" --Publisher description.

Lord, Karen
As first contact transforms Earth, a team of gifted visionaries race to create a new future in this wondrous science fiction novel from the award-winning author of The Best of All Possible Worlds . “A complex story of first contact from a unique perspective that is warm, engaging, and wildly original.”—Martha Wells, New York Times bestselling author of The Murderbot Diaries The world is changing, and humanity must change with it. Rising seas and soaring temperatures have radically transformed the face of Earth. Meanwhile, Earth is being observed from afar by other civilizations . . . and now they are ready to make contact. Vying to prepare humanity for first contact are a group of dreamers and changemakers, including Peter Hendrix, the genius inventor behind the most advanced VR tech; Charyssa, a beloved celebrity icon with a passion for humanitarian work; and Kanoa, a member of a global council of young people drafted to reimagine the relationship between humankind and alien societies. And they may have an unexpected secret weapon: Owen, a pop megastar whose ability to connect with his adoring fans is more than charisma. His hidden talent could be the key to uniting Earth as it looks toward the stars. But Owen’s abilities are so unique that no one can control him and so seductive that he cannot help but use them. Can he transcend his human limitations and find the freedom he has always dreamed of? Or is he doomed to become the dictator of his nightmares?
This electronic resource is available through the SCPL catalog.
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Mc Ivor, Breanne, author.
FICTION MCI
"Bianca Bridge has always dreamed of becoming a writer. But Trididadian society can be unforgiving, and having an affair with a married government official is a surefire way to ruin your prospects. So when Obadiah Cortland, a notoriously tyrannical entrepreneur in the island's beauty scene, offers her a job, Bianca accepts, realizing that working on his magazine is the closest to her dreams she'll get. As Bianca begins to embrace her power and creative voice, she starts to suspect Obadiah is not the elite tyrant he seems. She's right. Born in one of the poorest parts of Trinidad, Obadiah has clawed part-way up society's ladder and built his company around his meticulously crafted persona. Now he's not about to let anyone, especially Bianca, see past his facade. When Bianca's ex-lover threatens everything she's rebuilt, jeopardizing all she's come to love about her new life, she's surprised to find support from the most unlikely ally and, finally, draws the strength to fight back like her mother taught her. Sharp witted and fiercely fun, The God of Good Looks alternates between Bianca's diary entries and Obadiah's first person narrative to portray modern Trinidad's rigid class barriers and the fraught impact of beauty commodification. Boisterous, moving, and full of meaty, universally relatable questions, Mc Ivor's sparking debut is an openhearted awakening tale about prejudice and pride, the masks we wear, and who we can become if we dare to take them off."--Dust cover.

Reid-Benta, Zalika, author.
SCIENCE FICTION REI
When the Jamaican water deity, River Mumma, tells her she has 24 hours to find her missing comb, Alicia, forming a strange connection with her two co-workers who help her fight off malevolent spirits, is led on a journey through time to discover herself and what the river carries.

Dass, Sarah, author.
YA FICTION DAS
"She's destined to be a great Trinidadian Carnival costume designer like her renowned uncle, Russel Messina, and will one day inherit leadership of the family's masquerade band, Grandeur. Her classmate, the popular social media influencer, Brandon Richards, is the bane of her existence. Everything about him irks her, from his annoying nickname for Tess ("Boop") to his association with David, her awful ex. But when the future of Grandeur nears the brink of collapse in the face of band rivalry, Tess finds to her chagrin that she must team up with Brandon in a desperate attempt to revive the company. As Tess and Brandon spend more time together, Tess begins to wonder if everything she thought she knew might not be so certain after all.... Set in lush, gorgeous Trinidad, this is a novel about finding love in the most unexpected places."--Amazon.

Mitchell, Marie (Cook), author.
641.5972 MIT
"As the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Marie Mitchell cooks to understand and celebrate recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. In Kin, her hotly anticipated debut cookbook, she shares dishes from the Caribbean and its diaspora. Accompanied by gorgeous photographs, many shot in the Caribbean, the book's 80 recipes blend influences from South Asia, Africa, and Latin America in crispy Saltfish Fritters, Honey Jerk Wings with Fluffy Cassava Fries and Hot Pepper Sauce, garlicky Mojo Roast Pork, Sweet Tangy Coleslaw, and Creamy Tomato Curry. Her breads, desserts, and drinks evoke the islands and are stunningly easy: coconut bread buns, a Ginger Drizzle cake, Summer Rum Punch. Marie's food is subtle and playful, layering different notes and spices carefully to create delicate, rewarding flavors perfect for home cooks."-- Provided by publisher.

Sinclair, Safiya, author.
BIO SINCLAIR
This stunning story of the author's struggle to break free of her strict Rastafarian upbringing ruled by a father whose rigid beliefs, rage and paranoia led to violence shows how found her own power and provides a unique glimpse into a rarefied world we know little about.

Carmichael, Stokely, 1941-1998, author.
BIO CARMICHAEL
The personal story of the civil rights leader's work and life discusses his witness to and experiences with the prison farms and lynch mobs of Mississippi, and the efforts of Black Power and Pan-Africanism.

Tyson, Cicely, author, narrator.
LISTLIB DISC BIO TYSON
At last, the Academy, Tony, and three-time Emmy Award-winning actor and trailblazer, Cicely Tyson, tells her stunning story, looking back at her six-decade career and life.

DeYoung, Karen, 1949-
BIO POWELL
A biography of the soldier-statesman follow's Colin Powell's life from his Jamaican roots and youth in the Bronx, through his decorated career in the Army and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to his role as Secretary of State and departure from the post.

Grant, Colin, 1961-
BIO GARVEY

Alvarez, Julia.
FICTION ALV
In the 1960s, political tension forces the García family away from Santo Domingo and towards the Bronx. The sisters all hit their strides in America, adapting and thriving despite cultural differences, language barriers, and prejudice. But Mami and Papi are more traditional, and they have far more difficulty adjusting to their new country. Making matters worse, the girls--frequently embarrassed by their parents--find ways to rebel against them.

Cruz, Angie, author.
FICTION CRU
"From the beloved author of Dominicana, a GMA Book Club Pick and Women's Prize Finalist, an electrifying and indelible new novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story. Write this down: Cara Romero wants to work. Cara Romero thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But when, in her mid-50s, she loses her job in the Great Recession, she is forced back into the job market for the first time in decades. Set up with a job counselor, Cara instead begins to narrate the story of her life. Over the course of twelve sessions, Cara recounts her tempestuous love affairs, her alternately biting and loving relationships with her neighbor Lulu and her sister Angela, her struggles with debt, gentrification and loss, and, eventually, what really happened between her and her estranged son, Fernando. As Cara confronts her darkest secrets and regrets, we see a woman buffeted by life but still full of fight. Structurally inventive and emotionally kaleidoscopic, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water is Angie Cruz's most ambitious and moving novel yet, and Cara is a heroine for the ages"-- Provided by publisher.

Ojito, Mirta A.
BIO OJITO

Roffey, Monique, author.
FICTION ROF
"The Mermaid of Black Conch spins the enchanting tale of a cursed mythical creature and the lonely fisherman who falls in love with her"-- Provided by publisher.

Arthurs, Alexia, author.
FICTION ART
Sweeping from close-knit island communities to the streets of New York City and midwestern university towns, these eleven stories form a portrait of a nation, a people, and a way of life. In "Light-Skinned Girls and Kelly Rowlands," an NYU student befriends a fellow Jamaican whose privileged West Coast upbringing has blinded her to the hard realities of race. In "Mash Up Love," a twin's chance sighting of his estranged brother--the prodigal son of the family--stirs up unresolved feelings of resentment. In "Bad Behavior," a couple leave their wild teenage daughter with her grandmother in Jamaica, hoping the old ways will straighten her out. In "Mermaid River," a Jamaican teenage boy is reunited with his mother in New York after eight years apart. In "The Ghost of Jia Yi," a recently murdered student haunts a despairing Jamaican athlete recruited to an Iowa college. And in "Shirley from a Small Place," a world-famous pop star retreats to her mother's big new house in Jamaica, which still holds the power to restore something vital.

Walcott, Derek.
811 W14