Pauline Melville stands as a leading Caribbean writer, whose works are defined by a unique blend of European and Amerindian heritage. Her writing masterfully fuses Western philosophy with Amerindian creation myths, all touched with a sardonic, iconoclastic wit. A former professional actress in Europe, Melville infuses her fiction with her cosmopolitan knowledge and deep understanding of a mixed cultural legacy. Her distinctive voice and literary talent mark her as a significant voice on the modern literary scene.
Unpredictable, haunting, with a streak of black humour, this collection of short stories ranges across the world, from Petersburg to Guyana, Syria to London, Argentina to Edinburgh. Its diverse characters are caught up in wars or revolution, escaping the past or finally returning to confront it.
An award winning debut collection of short stories moving between the Caribbean, London and the US, describing the experiences of various exiles and misfits.
What could a ballerina, an anarchist, an Islamic terrorist and a banker possibly have in common? Moving between London, Italy and Surinam, this title marshals a cast of characters to tell an explosive tale of greed, passion and revolutionary ideals.
Pauline Melville conjures pictures of the savannah, forest and city life in South America where love is often trumped by disaster. This novel embraces nearly a century, when laughter is never far from tragedy. It is a parable of miscegenation and racial exclusiveness, of nature defying culture.