Haiti Noir (Akashic Noir)

"A wide-ranging collection from the beloved but besieged Caribbean island...The 36th entry in Akashic's Noir series (which ranges from Bronx to Delhi to Twin Cities) is beautifully edited, with a spectrum of voices."--Kirkus Reviews"This anthology will give American readers a complex and nuanced portrait of the real Haiti not seen on the evening news and introduce them to some original and wonderful writers."--Library Journal"Danticat has succeeded in assembling a group portrait of Haitian culture and resilience that is cause for celebration."--Publishers Weekly"A solid contribution to the [noir] series, especially for its showcasing of a setting not commonly portrayed in crime fiction."--Booklist"Danticat has put together a collection possessing classic noir elements--crimes and criminals and evil deeds only sometimes punished--but also something else, perhaps uniquely Haitian too."--Los Angeles Times"The characters that emerge in the anthology are divergent figures, alienated by exile, thriving in the diaspora and devastated by limited choices. Their stories are multi-layered, thrilling and necessary."--Ms. Magazine"Who can ever judge how important Danticat has been to Americans' understanding and re-evaluating Haiti's position and role in the hemisphere? Not just as a novelist and essayist in her own right, but as editor and guiding force behind this collection of short stories and the re-publication and English translation of the Chauvet triptych, the Haitian-born Danticat has brought her country's literature back into the world of English-speakers. Filled with delights and surprises, Haiti Noir, taken as a whole, provides a profound portrait of the country, from its crises to its triumphs, from the tiny bouks of the countryside to the shanties of the sprawling bidonvilles. Danticat herself has a lovely story in the collection, and permits two distinguished foreign writers on Haiti, Madison Smartt Bell and Mark Kurlansky, to slide in there among all the brilliant Haitians."--Daily Beast"Haiti Noir...showcases the diversity, humour, beauty and originality of 'Haitian' writing."--Wasafiri (UK)Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.Brand-new stories by: Edwidge Danticat, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Madison Smartt Bell, Gary Victor, M.J. Fievre, Mark Kurlansky, Marvin Victor, Josaphat-Robert Large, Marie Lily Cerat, Yanick Lahens, Louis-Philipe Dalembert, Kettly Mars, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel, Evelyne Trouillot, Katia D. Ulysse, Ibi Aanu Zoboi, Nadine Pinede, and Patrick Sylvain.From the introduction by Edwidge Danticat:"I began working on this anthology about a year before January 12, 2010, when Haiti was struck by its worst natural disaster in over two hundred years. The world knows now that more than two hundred thousand people died and over a million lost their homes in Haiti's capital and the surrounding cities of Léogâne, Petit–Goâve, and Jacmel. As I am writing these words, survivors remain huddled by the thousands in displacement camps, most shielding themselves from intermittent rain with nothing but wooden posts and bedsheets.Even before the earthquake, life was not easy in Haiti. There was always the risk of dying from hunger, an infectious disease, a natural disaster, or a crime. But there was also hope, laughter, and boundless creativity. Haitian creativity has always been one of the country’s most identifiable survival traits. Whether expressed in vibrant and colorful paintings, double entendre--filled spiritual or party music, or the poignant, humorous, erotic, lyrical (and yes, also dark) short stories and novels of its writers, Haiti's more nuanced and complex face often comes across in its arts...I can honestly say that, in spite of the difficult circumstances in Haiti right now, I have never felt a greater sense of joy working on any collective project than I have on this book." "A wide-ranging collection from the beloved but besieged Caribbean island. [ ] The 36th entry in Akashic's Noir series (which ranges from Bronx to Delhi to Twin Cities) is beautifully edited, with a spectrum of voices."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Danticat has succeeded in assembling a group portrait of Haitian culture and resilience that is cause for celebration."
--Publishers Weekly

"A solid contribution to the [noir] series, especially for its showcasing of a setting not commonly portrayed in crime fiction."
--Booklist

“Who can ever judge how important Danticat has been to Americans’ understanding and re-evaluating Haiti’s position and role in the hemisphere? Not just as a novelist and essayist in her own right, but as editor and guiding force behind this collection of short stories and the re-publication and English translation of the Chauvet triptych, the Haitian-born Danticat has brought her country’s literature back into the world of English-speakers. Filled with delights and surprises, Haiti Noir, taken as a whole, provides a profound portrait of the country, from its crises to its triumphs, from the tiny bouks of the countryside to the shanties of the sprawling bidonvilles. Danticat herself has a lovely story in the collection, and permits two distinguished foreign writers on Haiti, Madison Smartt Bell and Mark Kurlansky, to slide in there among all the brilliant Haitians.”
--Daily Beast

Includes brand-new stories by: Edwidge Danticat, Rodney Saint-Eloi, Madison Smartt Bell, Gary Victor, M.J. Fièvre, Marvin Victor, Yanick Lahens, Louis-Philipe Dalembert, Kettly Mars, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel, Evelyne Trouillot, Katia Ulysse, Ibi Aanu Zoboi, Nadine Pinede, and others.

Haiti has a tragic history and continues to be one of the most destitute places on the planet, especially in the aftermath of the earthquake. Here, however, Edwidge Danticat reveals that even while the subject matter remains dark, the caliber of Haitian writing is of the highest order.

HAITI HAS A TRAGIC HISTORY and continues to be one of the most destitute places on the planet, especially in the aftermath of the earthquake. Here, however, Danticat reveals that even while the subject matter remains dark, the caliber of Haitian writing is of the highest order. EDWIDGE DANTICAT was born in Haiti and moved to the United States when she was twelve. She is the author of Breath, Eyes, Memory , an Oprah Book Club selection, Krik? Krak! , a National Book Award finalist, and the novel-in-stories The Dew Breaker . Her memoir, Brother, I'm Dying , was a 2007 finalist for the National Book Award and a 2008 winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award. She is a 2009 recipient of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grant and lives in Miami. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction PART I: WHICH NOIR? "Odette" PATRICK SYLVAIN (Christ-Roi) "The Rainbow's End" M.J. FIEVRE (Kenscoff) "The Finger" GARY VICTOR (Port-au-Prince) "Paradise Inn" KETTLY MARS (Gokal) "Which One?" EVELYNE TROUILLOT (Lalue) "Twenty Dollars" MADISON SMARTT BELL (Morne du Cap) PART II: NOIR CROSSROADS "Claire of the Sea Light" EDWIDGE DANTICAT (Ville Rose) "The Harem" IBI AANU ZOBOI (Delmas) "Rosanna" JOSAPHAT-ROBERT LARGE (Pacot) "Maloulou" MARIE LILY CERAT (Martissant) "Dangerous Crossroads" LOUIS PHILIPPE DALEMBERT (Petionville) "Blues for Irene" MARVIN VICTOR (Carrefour-Feuilles) PART III: WHO IS THAT NOIR? "The Last Department" KATIA D. ULYSSE (Putis Blain) "Departure Lounge" NADINE PINEDE (Cap Haitien) "Who Is that Man?" YANICK LAHENS (Saint-Marc) "Mercy at the Gate" MARIE KETSIA THEODORE-PHAREL (Croix-des-Bouquets) "The Leopard of Ti Morne" MARK KURLANSKY (Gonaives) "The Blue Hill" RODNEY SAINT-ELOI (Ozanana) Version : 5.0 "A wide-ranging collection from the beloved but besieged Caribbean island," from a lineup of authors including two National Book Award finalists ( Kirkus Reviews ). "The Haitian-born Danticat has brought her country's literature back into the world of English-speakers. Filled with delights and surprises, Haiti Noir , taken as a whole, provides a profound portrait of the country, from its crises to its triumphs, from the tiny bouks of the countryside to the shanties of the sprawling bidonvilles. Danticat herself has a lovely story in the collection, and permits two distinguished foreign writers on Haiti, Madison Smartt Bell and Mark Kurlansky, to slide in there among all the brilliant Haitians." ? Daily Beast Brand-new stories by Edwidge Danticat, Rodney Saint-?loi, Madison Smartt Bell, Gary Victor, M.J. Fievre, Mark Kurlansky, Marvin Victor, Josaphat-Robert Large, Marie Lily Cerat, Yanick Lahens, Louis-Philippe Dalembert, Kettly Mars, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel, Evelyne Trouillot, Katia D. Ulysse, Ibi Aanu Zoboi, Nadine Pinede, and Patrick Sylvain. "This anthology will give American readers a complex and nuanced portrait of the real Haiti not seen on the evening news and introduce them to some original and wonderful writers." ? Library Journal "A collection possessing classic noir elements?crimes and criminals and evil deeds only sometimes punished?but also something else, perhaps uniquely Haitian too." ? Los Angeles Times “A wide-ranging collection from the beloved but besieged Caribbean island,” from a lineup of authors including two National Book Award finalists (Kirkus Reviews). “The Haitian-born Danticat has brought her country's literature back into the world of English-speakers. Filled with delights and surprises, Haiti Noir, taken as a whole, provides a profound portrait of the country, from its crises to its triumphs, from the tiny bouks of the countryside to the shanties of the sprawling bidonvilles. Danticat herself has a lovely story in the collection, and permits two distinguished foreign writers on Haiti, Madison Smartt Bell and Mark Kurlansky, to slide in there among all the brilliant Haitians.” —Daily Beast Brand-new stories by Edwidge Danticat, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Madison Smartt Bell, Gary Victor, M.J. Fievre, Mark Kurlansky, Marvin Victor, Josaphat-Robert Large, Marie Lily Cerat, Yanick Lahens, Louis-Philippe Dalembert, Kettly Mars, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel, Evelyne Trouillot, Katia D. Ulysse, Ibi Aanu Zoboi, Nadine Pinede, and Patrick Sylvain. “This anthology will give American readers a complex and nuanced portrait of the real Haiti not seen on the evening news and introduce them to some original and wonderful writers.” —Library Journal “A collection possessing classic noir elements—crimes and criminals and evil deeds only sometimes punished—but also something else, perhaps uniquely Haitian too.” —Los Angeles Times Launched with the summer 04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Featuring brand-new stories by: Edwidge Danticat, Rodney Saint-loi, Madison Smartt Bell, Gary Victor, M.J. Fievre, Marvin Victor, Yanick Lahens, Louis-Philipe Dalembert, Kettly Mars, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel, Evelyne Trouillot, Katia Ulysse, Ibi Aanu Zoboi, Nadine Pinede, and others. Haiti has a tragic history and continues to be one of the most destitute places on the planet, especially in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Here, however, Danticat reveals that even while the subject matter remains dark, the caliber of Haitian writing is of the highest order. Which noir?: Odette -- Patrick Sylvain. The rainbow's end -- M.J. Fievre. The finger -- Gary Victor. Paradise Inn -- Kettly Mars. Which one? -- Evelyne Trouillot. Twenty dollars -- Madison Smartt Bell Noir crossroads: Claire of the sea light -- Edwidge Danticat. The harem -- Ibi Aanu Zoboi. Rosanna -- Josaphat-Robert Large. Maloulou -- Marie Lily Cerat. Dangerous crossroads -- Louis-Philippe Dalembert. Blues for Irène -- Marvin Victor Who is that noir?: The last department -- Katia D. Ulysse. Departure lounge -- Nadine Pinede. Who is that man? -- Yanick Lahens. Mercy at the gate -- Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel. The leopard of Ti Morne -- Mark Kurlansky. The blue hill -- Rodney Saint-Éloi.