Dreams of Archives Unfolded: Absence and Caribbean Life Writing

The first book on pan-Caribbean life writing, Dreams of Archives Unfolded, explores how established and emerging writers use life writing to question the relationship between the past and the present, particularly in light of gendered absences in archives and ancestral memory. It argues that this flowering of life writing is not an imitation of the "memoir boom" but rather a different use of the genre born out of encountering these absences.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 218 pages
\n Publication date: 18 June 2021
\n Publisher: Rutgers University Press
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The groundbreaking book Dreams of Archives Unfolded delves into the innovative formal practices employed to write about historical absences within contemporary personal narratives. While fiction and poetry have traditionally been recognized as the primary genres of writing postcoloniality in the Caribbean, established figures such as Erna Brodber, Maryse Condé, Lorna Goodison, Edwidge Danticat, Saidiya Hartmann, Ruth Behar, and Dionne Brand, as well as emerging writers like Yvonne Shorter Brown and Gaiutra Bahadur, have utilized life writing to explore the intricate relationship between the past and the present. In her analysis, Stitt posits that the remarkable flourishing of life writing by Caribbean women since 2000 is not a mere imitation of the "memoir boom" in North America and Europe but rather represents a distinct approach to the genre that emerges from encountering gendered absences in archives and ancestral memory that cannot be fully addressed through further research.

Dreams of Archives Unfolded makes a substantial impact on the field of Caribbean literature by showcasing that womens autobiographical narratives published in the past twenty years are feminist epistemological projects that redefine the longstanding commitment of Caribbean studies to creating counter-archives. Through their narratives, these writers challenge the dominant narratives that have shaped the region's history and culture, offering alternative perspectives and experiences that challenge the status quo. By reclaiming the voices and stories of marginalized communities, Dreams of Archives Unfolded contributes to a more inclusive and diverse understanding of the Caribbean region and its complex history.

In conclusion, Dreams of Archives Unfolded is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the innovative formal practices employed to write about historical absences within contemporary personal narratives. By exploring the relationship between the past and the present through the lens of life writing, the book challenges traditional notions of postcoloniality and offers a fresh perspective on the region's history and culture. Through its feminist epistemological approach, Dreams of Archives Unfolded contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the representation of marginalized communities and the importance of counter-archives in shaping our understanding of the past.

\n Weight: 328g\n
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781978806542\n \n