Simone Schwarz-Bart

"In this intoxicating tale of love and madness, mothers and daughters, folkloric wisdom and the grim legacy of slavery on the French Antillean island of Guadeloupe, aged yet unbowed Telumee tells her life story, along with that of the proud line of Lougandor women she continues to draw strength from, even in their physical absence. Having obtained, with dizzying speed, love and happiness and the trust of others, Telumee must find the resources, personal and collective, both to rejoice without reserve and then, in less fortunate seasons, to survive suffering that would crush weaker vessels. In the words of Queen Without a Name, the stoic and tender grandmother who raises her, Behind one pain there is another. Sorrow is a wave without end. But the horse mustn't ride you, you must ride it. A masterpiece of Caribbean literature, The Bridge of Beyondrepresents at once a gorgeously thick description of the flora and climate, crafts and customs of the island, and the triumph of a spirit so generous and hopeful that no earthly adversity could outlast it. Simone Schwarz-Bart's sinuous and lyrical prose, interwoven with proverbs and other local sayings, appears here in an uncomm

The Bridge of Beyond

André Schwarz-Bart

In this translation of Hommage a la femme noire (1988), the authors pay tribute in essays and color images to a group victimized by "scholarly neglect and racist assumptions." Featured African women include 19th-20th century activists, authors, one of the first black fashion models, and others going beyond tradition. Published as part of a UNESCO project for the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture/New York Public Library. 9.25x12 ". The correct ISBN is given on the dust jacket but not on the copyright page. V. 4 is expected in spring 2004. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

In Praise of Black Women: Modern African women

In this novel Simone Schwarz-Bart shows the survival power of the women of Guadeloupe who live in conditions of extreme poverty and deprivation and yet who are filled with dauntless courage and love for life.

Great-granddaughter of Minerve, first woman of the Guadeloupean branch of the Lougandor family to be freed from slavery in 1848, the elderly Telumée tells the story of her own difficult life and that of her ancestors. It is a poor black woman's tale of heroic survival, set in the early 20th century, harsh agrarian environment of a Caribbean island. Through the richly imaged narration of a constantly evolving, cultural significant and always entertaining saga, the author leads the reaer into her native West Indian realm of legends, magic, folkloric wisdom and traditional reverence for the elderly and the past. Her protagonist, Telumée, embodies the innate strength and nobility of women in general and of black Caribbean women in particular. Published in 1972, this book received Elle magazine's literary prize. This edition reflects the editor's personal acquaintance with the author, and her country. It provides a synthesis of the latest critical studies, and a thorough interpretation of Creole terms, symbolic imagery and a unique cultural background.

Schwarz-Bart: Pluie et Vent sur Télumée Miracle

Com ensaio de Itamar Vieira Junior, romance da escritora guadalupense Simone Schwarz-Bart acompanha quatro gerações de mulheres negras, fortes e determinadas, em meio a uma descrição exuberante e imaginativa da ilha antilhana Télumée Lougandor é uma força da natureza, cheia de vida e dotada de uma alegria inata, sempre posta à prova por sua condição de mulher negra em Guadalupe. Em Chuva e vento sobre Télumée Milagre ela conta sua história e a de suas ancestrais. O romance é da escritora guadalupense Simone Schwarz-Bart, uma das vozes mais importantes da vigorosa literatura do Caribe, ao lado de nomes como o da romancista Maryse Condé e do pensador Frantz Fanon. Para Itamar Vieira Junior, o romance intensamente poético de Schwarz-Bart revela "uma cosmovisão de mundo profunda narrada com grande paixão". Para ele, "a narrativa dessa linhagem de mulheres carrega a história de um continente inteiro". Télumée carrega consigo o conhecimento de um ambiente complexo e das armadilhas que lhe reservam a persistência da espoliação colonial e da lógica patriarcal. A sabedoria vem de uma linhagem feminina que remonta a sua bisavó. São quatro gerações de mulheres fortes, determinadas e forjadas por uma história de adversidades. Das agruras de suas relações muitas vezes brutais com os homens, Télumée encontra alívio na relação com a feiticeira man (madame) Cia, a madrinha que teria poderes extraordinários como se transformar em animais. A jovem negra se cerca de um panteísmo animista que dá o romance também o caráter de uma jornada espiritual.

Chuva e vento sobre Télumée Milagre

Modern African Women offers powerful and unforgettable tales from Senegal to South Africa, from the nineteenth century to the present. These modern African rulers, leaders, and visionaries include Madam Yoko, Queen of the Kpaa Mende and national heroine of Sierra Leone; Princess Kesso, a Fulani Muslim princess from Guinea who became one of the world’s first black models; Alice Lenshina, who fought British colonial rule in Zambia and was considered a prophet in the Lumpa Church; Ellen Kuzwayo, member of the African National Congress whose struggle for civil and women’s rights landed her in prison; Dulcie September, the ANC representative in France, killed for her ardent support for the cause of freedom; Miriam Makeba, internationally loved singer South African singer; Winnie Mandela, who carried on the struggle during Nelson Mandela’s long imprisonment; and many others.

Between Two Worlds

Trois générations de femmes à la Guadeloupe depuis le milieu du XIXe siècle jusqu'aux premières années du XXe : La première, Bébé, est la fille de La Femme Solitude, une esclave devenue un personnage mythique ; elle est achetée par la veuve d'un planteur. Elle est un peu sorcière, voit des apparitions de Jésus. Un pauvre blanc l'achète, "la met en case", lui fait trois filles. Il finira par l'épouser avant de mourir. La seconde, c'est Hortensia, une des filles de Bébé. L'esclavage a été aboli mais rien n'a changé vraiment. Hortensia est, comme sa mère, une étrange petite fille, avide de sortilèges, tentée par la révolte mais prisonnière de sa condition. La troisième femme est la fille d'Hortensia. On l'appelle Mariotte. Elle vit avec sa grand-mère, Man Louise, sa mère et ses deux tantes. L'enfant s'attache à un grand gaillard qui lui fait un peu peur mais lui raconte, à sa façon, l'histoire de son aïeule, la Femme Solitude. De nombreux personnages, hauts en couleur, vivent autour des trois héroïnes. Tout un petit monde revit dans une langue colorée et savoureuse. Le réalisme du quotidien est enchanté par les pensées et les sentiments des trois femmes : univers mystérieux où errent des ombres et des démons, où surnagent les restes de religion chrétienne. L'existence n'est pas facile, mais c'est la joie ou du moins l'élan à vivre qui l'emporte toujours.

L'ancêtre en solitude

In Praise of Black Women: Heroines of the slavery era

A monstrous beast has blocked out the sunlight and thrown the island of Guadeloupe into darkness. The beast is white domination, and Ti Jean must destroy this evil. In order to do so, he must explore not only contemporary Guadeloupe, but also the Africa of his ancestors.

Simone Schwarz-Bart

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