This weekend I finished The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart, translated from French by Barbara Bray, and closed by reading the introduction to this edition written by Jamaica Kincaid. This is a masterful piece of literature, I only hope I can capture a coherent response in this post. ⁣
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Reading this book was for me that kind of great outside my comfort zone reading, reminiscent of other favorite pillars of literature such as Morrison or Erdrich. When I read literary fiction, especially of this sort that, as Kincaid articulates, defies categorization and blends Fiction with Nonfiction and History, I often feel far outside my depth, and yet here I am in good hands. A remarkable piece of art, The Bridge of Beyond tells the story of several generations of women in Guadeloupe, centering on Telumee and her grandmother Toussine, also known as Queen Without a Name. Through their story Schwarz-Bart sets the reader firmly in time and place, illuminating their world with vibrant descriptions and deeply resonant emotion. Blending stories and song with smart and beautiful prose, Schwarz-Bart has packed my mind with thoughts about race, the devastating nearness of slavery, colonization, gender roles and relations, all with the throughline of the Lougandor women’s story to bring it together. Hard to describe in its fullness, I am already clamoring for a reread. All I can say in closing is, put this classic work of Caribbean literature on your TBR right away!⁣