Review by Choice Review
In his introduction to Lamming's first novel, In the Castle of My Skin (1953), Richard Wright proffers the idea that Lamming uses a charged and poetic prose to present the ripping of the sensitive human personality from one culture and the planting of that personality in another. In this remarkable study of Lamming's evolution as provocateur, Nair (Tulane Univ.) chronicles the anguish of the postcolonial Caribbean. She makes accessible Lamming's often difficult prose, which mirrors the dichotomies between elite Britain and the tortured Caribbean. The collection of tightly woven, well-written essays guides the reader through a revelation of the writer's imagination as he progresses from a cultural past toward a new future. The book contains excellent footnotes and a brief bibliography. Recommended for scholars and graduate students. A. J. Guillaume Jr.; Humboldt State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
