Novel explores the horror of West Indian slavery
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
He was born in Kingston Jamaica, and now teaches literature and creative writing at Macalester College.
His new novel "The Book of Night Women" is the story of Lilith, a young slave living on a brutal Jamaican plantation in the year 1800. His writing has been compared with Zadie Smith, Edwidge Dandicat and Junot Diaz, who have all written of the legacy of colonialism around the Caribbean.
James says "The Book of Night Women" started as another story, set 30 years later, after the end of slavery in Jamaica. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he was writing about a woman accused of murder, when, as James puts it, the story got hijacked.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Dear reader,
Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.
Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?
It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.
