If you’re like us and love to read while on vacation, and if you love to read books that are on theme for your vacation, here are some great recommendations for Jamaican books that you won’t be able to put down. Reading them while you’re in Jamaica will make them that much sweeter.
Safiya Sinclair – How To Say Babylon
This brave and beautifully written memoir details the author’s childhood growing up as a Rastafarian in Jamaica and then the U.S. Safiya Sinclair is an award-winning poet, and her poetry roots really come through in her writing. Don’t let it being a memoir turn you off – it reads like the very best fiction.
Marlon James – A Brief History of Seven Killings
Be warned that “brief” is just about the last word to describe this book, but it earned Marlon James an incredibly well-deserved Man Booker Prize and is a fascinating fictional(ish) account of the events around the assassination of Bob Marley, set in one of the most pivotal times in Jamaica’s history.
Charmaine Wilkerson – Black Cake
You may have already seen the Hulu series, but even if you have, this book is worth the read. Spanning multiple decades and countries, it’s full of family secrets, mystery, and intrigue. The truth gets revealed a little bit at a time, which absolutely draws you in as a reader.
Kei Miller – Augustown
Augustown is another novel written by an award-winning poet – it’s a haunting and beautiful tale that’s almost musical in its narrative, set in an area not-so-loosely based on the real August Town in Kingston. It touches on history, on uptown vs downtown, on families…truly a stunning and heartbreaking read.
Margaret Cezair-Thompson – The Pirate’s Daughter
This is an oldie but goodie, and especially worth the read if you choose to stay in Portland. It is set during the heyday of Portland, at least from a tourism and celebrity point of view, and actually has the infamous actor, Errol Flynn, who lived in and loved Portland, as one of the key characters. But the focus is on a family of complicated and endearing Jamaican women.
Diana McCaulay – Daylight Come
For any teens in your family (or if YA novels are a guilty pleasure of yours!), this tense, futuristic, cautionary tale by Jamaican author, Diana McCaulay, will hopefully have readers thinking viscerally about the potentially devastating effects of climate change on Jamaica and the world.
Looking for other recommendations?
The Read Caribbean Instagram account is our go-to source for new, old, popular and obscure Caribbean books. Cindy updates the IG page on a regular basis, so make sure to check often for new suggestions for books to fill your suitcase. Even better, she sometimes hosts reading retreats throughout the Caribbean, including in Jamaica.
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