NEW ARRIVALS @ BookIsh Plaza

Three books published this year are now available at BookIsh Plaza; Hé Patu/Waggeleend, Compa Nanzi’s Capriolen en Hot Brazilian Wax.

The long awaited poetry book in Papiamentu Hé Patu / Waggeleend [ The Waddling Duck] (2011) by Curaçao renomated poet Elis Juliana has been published, this time with a Dutch translation. We all grew up with this rhythmical poem in the Papiamentu language of “Hé patu ta yanga, Hé patu ta rondia……Hé p’ aki, hé p’ aya…..” [The duck waddles, The duck is searching……to the left, to the right …ed.]. Now it is for the next generation to get to know the marvelous work of this poet.

Another figure who has been captivating our imagination from childhood is Compa Nanzi, the ever elusive spider figure who kicks at the establishment. Compa Nanzi is a symbol of resistance in the Caribbean against the “shon”, the plantation owner. In her latest book in the Dutch language Compa Nanzi’s Capriolen (2011), Joan Leslie‘s Compa Nanzi is a man; smart, wise, cunning, but certainly not a villain. He’s a person who tries to survive in a harsh world.

The title of the novel Hot Brazilian Wax en het requiem van Arthur Booi [Hot Brazilian Wax and the requiem of Arthur Booi] (2011) by Eric de Brabander promises a great psychological read. The struggle between western medicine and the wholistic alternative point of view and the turbulent relations with his wife puts the main character in the book before tough challenges. Will he survive or will he get caught in a Greek drama with no end?

BookIsh Plaza has received more novels, poetry books and children’s books. Check them out at BookIsh Plaza

Quito Nicolaas’ Poem Quoted in Aruban Parliament

BookIsh Publishers is very delighted to announce that the president of the Dutch Parliament – Mrs. Gerdie Verbeet – quoted one of the poems from the volume Bos pa Planta [Constructing Voices] by Quito Nicolaas during her speech last Wednesday October 25th during the Aruban Parliament meeting at the occasion of the celebration of 25 years Status Aparte of Aruba.

The author is very honoured after hearing of this.

Bos pa Planta [Constructing Voices] is a poetry book written in Papiamento, with a translation into Dutch and English. Papiamento/u is the language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao.

The book is available at BookIsh Plaza

What is it? Novel, Novella or novelette?

When is a novel not a novel? When it’s a novella

Julian Barnes won this year’s Booker prize with a book that was just 150 pages long. What should we call it?

One of the themes to emerge from the Booker Prize is the length at which a novel becomes a novel. Is Julian Barnes’s award-winner The Sense of an Ending a novel, or a novella? Might it even be a novelette? This issue caught the attention of our own Laura Barnett, who was hard-pressed to find a meaningful distinction. The fact that few people nowadays would describe Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness as a novella, even though it has been regarded as such in the past, shows the extent to which the term has fallen into disrepute.

Another slant on the issue of length came last week in an archive piece on HG Wells at 70. “There is a time to write novels and a time not to,” said an uncharacteristically eeyorish Wells. “The novel is not one thing; it is many things. Every age has its own sort of novel. When we are young we delight to play with possibility. We write fantasies and vivid impressions. This is the time for short stories, quick short stories.”

Read full article @ The Guardian

Poems Nicolaas Published in China

BookIsh Publishers is delighted to announce that two poems by poet/writer Quito Nicolaas were published in Chinese and English in The World Poets Quarterly, vol. 57, february 2010 of China. The two poems are Ignorance II and Sand Sculpture.

Poetry books by the author like Gerede Twijfels/Reasonable Doubt (in Dutch & English) and his latest Bos pa Planta [Constructing Voices]  (in Papiamento, English & Dutch) are available at BookIsh Plaza

Posthumous Book by Dutch-Surinamese Writer

The Dutch-Surinamese writer Clark Accord who died last May left an unfinished novel.
On October 28, 2011 the novel Plantation d’Amour, published by Nijgh & Van Ditmar, will be launched at the Public Library Amsterdam. The book examines the period of the Dutch-Surinamese slavery.

The writer became famous chiefly for his novel De Koningin van Paramaribo [The Queen of Paramaribo], about the life of the Surinamese prostitute Maxi Linder. More than 100,000 copies of the book was sold. A theatre piece has been made and a film is in the making.

Accord, who died on May 11 at the age of 50, could not finish the novel. The omitted chapters, notes and annotations were sufficient to make the book, they said. On his deathbed Accord talked to his editor about how the novel should end.

The book will be soon available for sale @ BookIsh Plaza

Booklaunch Boundaries by Elizabeth Nunez

Elizabeth Nunez presents her new novel, Boundaries, at the Americas Society.

Trinidadian-U.S. writer Nunez will present her seventh novel, a work that takes on the thorny subject of racial and immigrant tensions and the marginalization of writers of color. Read a review of Boundaries @ The New York Times
The program will also feature literary critic Donette Francis (Binghamton University). Jennifer J. Raab, President, Hunter College, CUNY, will provide comments prior to the discussion.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
6:30 pm
Free admission

Elizabeth Nunez is a Distinguished Professor at Hunter College in New York City, and the award-winning author of seven novels, including Prosperos Daughter (New York Times Editors’ Choice; 2006 Novel of the Year, Black Issues Book Review) and Bruised Hibiscus (American Book Award). She is coeditor with Jennifer Sparrow of the anthology Stories from Blue Latitudes: Caribbean Women Writers at Home and Abroad. Nunez is executive producer of the 2004 NY Emmy-nominated CUNY TV series Black Writers in America. She also chaired the PEN American Center’s Open Book committee, helping to launch the PEN Beyond Margins award for writers of color. Her latest book Anna In-Between was nominated for the 2010 International Impac Literary Award.

Poetry Books by Frida Domacassé on BookIsh Plaza

BookIsh Plaza has just received the latest poetry book Voetstappen op de rots [Footsteps on the rock ed.] (2011) by Frida Domacassé. The author is a native of Aruba, who lives a long time in The Netherlands. She is inspired by nature on the island, but also themes like feelings and emotion are very real in her poems.

BookIsh Plaza has also other books by the author on display like:

a collection of short stories Fontein en andere verhalen [Fontein and other stories ed.] (2009), published in the Dutch language. 
a poetry book Kurason kibrá Kurason hinté/Heel mijn gebroken hart [All my broken heart ed.] (2007), in Papiamentu and translated into Dutch.

BookIsh Plaza & authors in the Netherlands

BookIsh Plaza invites Caribbean authors living in The Netherlands to host their book on its webshop. To get to know more about BookIsh Plaza surf to www.bookishplaza.com

So if you’re a self published author and you want to have a bigger exposure and thereby sell your books, send us your request for the terms at info@bookishplaza.com

Seize the opportunity now!

Poetry from the Caribbean on BookIsh Plaza

BookIsh Plaza, the online bookshop, has some interesting poetry books by St. Maarten writers (Caribbean).

One of the well known poets in the region who is trying to bridge the cultural differences in the region is Lasana M. Sekou. His latest poetry book Nativity/Nativité/Natividad is Sekou`s 13th book, it is his first title in English with the French and Spanish translations in one volume. References range from Middle Region to Concordia; from Morant Bay uprising to Congo Square dancing in New Orleans; from ancient Mexico to ancient Ethiopia; from Hakka Chinese to Hosay in Trinidad; from maroons in Colombia and Venezuela to white indentured; from jumbie characters to children`s traditional games; from the Haitian quake to insisting on the discipline of science and technology as essential to liberation.

Other interesting books are:

Guanahani, My Love by Marion Bethel

Eva / Sión / Es by Chiqui Vicioso

Skin by Drisana D. Jack

Take a look at BookIsh Plaza for some amazing books.

‘Verborgen leegte’ Incorporated Into School Curriculum

Good news is that the novel Verborgen leegte [Hidden Emptiness ed.] by Quito Nicolaas is included in the teaching of literature at the Kolegio Alejandro Paula formerly Peter Stuyvesant College in Curaçao. This year,  students of the graduating classes will analyse the novel. The book is also on the list of Dutch literature they read for the exams.

BookIsh Publishers hopes that other high schools in Curaçao and Aruba will also follow suit.

Dutch Libraries interested in ‘Verborgen leegte’

Verborgen leegte [Hidden Emptiness ed.], the latest novel by Quito Nicolaas as of september will be available at the libraries in The Netherlands. NBD/Biblion has ordered a quantity that will be introduced and distributed to different libraries in the country.

NBD/Biblion offers a complete range of products and services that contribute to the success of the library or (school) library. They select, describe and provide the wide range of (new) titles that come out on the Dutch market.