-
Acknowledgments
- Cornell University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
xi q Acknowledgments Therearemanypeoplebehindthisbook.Iam gratefultomyeditor,PeterPotter,forbeinganearlyandenthusiasticchampion ofthisproject.Hiscarefulediting,steadyguidance,andpithyadvice madethisabetterbook.SaraFergusonofCornellUniversityPresspatiently answeredmyalmostdailyquestions.Rutgers’nonpareiladministratorChristina Strasburgerhasbeenapillarofstrength,bringinghercheerfulcan-do spirittobearoncomputerglitches,copyingsnafus,andtheotherday-to-day headachesofmanuscriptpreparation.Thanksalsotothewriters,filmmakers, publishers,andpublicrelationspersonnelwhosharedtheirinsiderknowledge withme,especiallyNaloHopkinson,JohnnyTempleofAkashicBooks, JaimeLevineofWarnerAspectBooks,SuzzanneLeeofJamaica’sNovelty TradingCompany,KirbyAllainoftheSt.LuciaTouristBoard,NormanRae andEstherFigueroa. ARutgersResearch Councilgrantenabledmetoconductresearchin theCaribbean.Ialsobenefitedimmenselyfromtwofellowships.Thefirst,a facultyfellowshipatRutgersUniversity’sInstituteforResearchonWomen, allowedmetheintellectualspacetodothekindofhardcriticalthinking neededtojumpstartthewritingprocess.InparticularIwouldliketothank KimButler,JosieSaldaña,CarlosDeceña,SonaliPerrera,MarcMatera,and NicoleFleetwood,whosecollectivecommentshelpedturnmynuggetofan ideaintoanargument. AlargeportionofmygratitudeandthanksgoestoCornellUniversity’s wonderfulSocietyfortheHumanities.Myresearchwasgreatlyfacilitated byaccesstoCornell’sexcellentOlinandAfricanalibraries—nottomention thejoysofalovelyofficewithbreathtakingviewsofthebeautiful Cornell campus,whichshouldnotbeunderestimated.Icouldnothaveaskedfora moresupportiveandcongenialgroupofpeoplewithwhichtowork.Big thankstodirectorBrettdeBary,onwhosepainstakingnotesIreliedheavily. TimMurray,thesucceedingdirector,accommodatedmywishforacoupleof extraweekstofinishthemanuscriptwhenrightfullyheshouldhavekicked meoutofthebuilding.AdministratorMaryAhlhelpedwithallmatterslarge xii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS andsmall.MyfellowFellowspushedmetobemorerigorous,andtheircontribution hereisconsiderable.InparticularIwouldliketoacknowledgethe commentsofMatthewHartforhelpingmetothinkthroughissuesofclass, SethSumanforpressingmetoexaminegenderissuesmoreclosely,Lucinda Rambergforhelpfulorganizationaladvice,aswellasthecommentsofMicol Seigal,PhillipStern,NatalieMelas,AndyHoberek,SarahEvans,SteffanIgor Ayora-Diaz,andGabrielaVargas-Cetina.Itwasaspecialpleasuretomeetand benefitfromthecommentsofMartinBernal. Asalways,Iamindebtedtotheworkofother Caribbeanistswhohave laidthegroundworkforthisproject.VelmaPollardandErnaBrodberfilled inthegapsinmyknowledgeof Caribbeanhistory.VeraKutzinski’sastute commentsprovidedaroadmapformakingrevisionstothemanuscript.Leah Rosenberg’spath-breakingresearchonearlyJamaicanmagazinecultureset thestageformyownwork.Leahalsogenerouslysharedwithmetheimage ofH.G.deLisser’sTwentiethCenturyJamaica,whichisreproducedhere.Faith Smithreaddraftsandvolleyedideasbackandforth;sheis,asalways,mybest intellectualcompanionandfriend.DonetteFrancishunteddownarticlesand kindlyprovidedaccesstoherunpublished2003essay,whichanticipatessome oftheideasofthisbook.Other Caribbeanistswhoseworkhasinfluenced myown(whetherornottheyknowit)includeMichelleStephensforher workonAfricanAmericanperformersintheCaribbean;RhondaCobhamSander ,whoseexcellentdissertationonearly Jamaicanliteratureisamustread foranyoneinterestedinthefield;andHarvey Neptune,whosebook CalibanandtheYankees,ontheAmericanoccupationofTrinidad,isoneof themostenjoyable—andimportant—booksIhavereadinalongtime. ThentherearetheorganicCaribbeanists,mystalwartfriendsandfamily. ThanksareduetomyoldfriendKatrinaScott-George,becauseifshehadn’t invitedmeaftertwenty-oddyearstothatbigbeachbashImightneverhave metherhusband,WallaceGeorge,whotoldmeallaboutGuyana’spopular radioprogramsandintroducedmetotheworkofWordsworthMcAndrew. Itgoestoshowthatyouneverknowwhereyoumightfindyourmaterial.I learnedalotabouttheleisurereadinghabitsofthecolonialCaribbeanfrom thereminiscencesof...