Narratives of exile and return /

Through detailed oral histories, Chamberlain studies the perspectives of three or more generations: the Barbadians who migrated to Britain in the 1950s and '60s, and their parents, children, and grandchildren. Family memories of migration to Trinidad, Cuba, Panama, the US, and other countries shape a "migration dynamic" that encourages people to seek adventure and independence, as well as work, within extended networks of kin. Women, who express and share with their mothers a primary responsibility for their children, present themselves as less autonomous than the men, but all are part of a family enterprise. Migration ideology shaped the behavior and the often multiple identities of Caribbean people over generations: "Realistically I'm British, black British ... I'm black ... I suppose British West Indian." Many Barbadian migrants expect and plan to return, and those who succeed often reinforce the Barbadian connections of their children and grandchildren who remain in Britain. This pioneering and very readable study complements work on Caribbean migrants and transnational families in North America, such as Christine G.T. Ho's Salt-Water Trinnies (1991). Strongly recommended for upper-division undergraduates and above, as well as anyone who wants to understand Caribbean migrants. O. N. Bolland; Colgate University