The Jamaica Reader

“Jamaica is an endless paradox, virtually impossible to summarize neatly in any single document. In The Jamaica Reader, Diana Paton and Matthew Smith extend an invitation to us to reflect on this paradox, its histories, and its cultural-political implications. In their thoughtful and diverse selection of texts (some expressive, some analytical, some narrative), framed by an engaging introduction, they offer a searching panorama of sometimes competing perspectives on the very idea of Jamaica.”

~David Scott, Columbia University

“This is a bird's-eye view of the island shaped like a swimming turtle. It is a learned and joyful compendium of everything anyone needs to know about the place Columbus called the fairest isle that eyes ever beheld. Diana Paton and Matthew J. Smith have done a brilliant job of curating what is surely the most complete and all-encompassing gathering of writing about Jamaica ever assembled.”

~Lorna Goodison, Poet Laureate of Jamaica

"This is an essential text for students of Jamaican history, society, culture and politics, and I am confident it will be a standard reader in Caribbean studies for many years to come.… It is impossible to see this book as anything other than the best introduction to the history of Jamaica, and the lives of the Jamaican people."

~F.S.J. Ledgister, Caribbean Quarterly