Product Description
This unique volume examines the cognitive and material recordsof the spatial design and use - including maps, architecturaldrawings, landscapes, and historical treatises - of threecoffee plantations in the Yallahs drainage of eastern Jamaica.Monographs concentrating on the historical archaeology of theCaribbean are rare, and this is the first to have space as its generalarea of study and coffee plantations as its specific focus. The volumeis also significant in its cogent linkage of theory and data, and itstreatment of social cognitive and material spaces as manifestations ofa single set of phenomena. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

BOOK PROVIDES ENGAGING LOOK AT JAMAICA'S PAST
James Delle's book successfully explores the historical relationship between the Jamaican power structure and the physical characteristics of several coffee plantations.The book also goes beyond Jamaica, anddemonstrates how the global economy is physically represented in the slavepopulated plantations.Delle provides a generous amount of historicalbackground by tracing the rise and fall of the coffee industry in the1800's.The text also includes sharp economic and social analysis. Overall, the book is packed with information that is both fascinating andcomprehensive.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Title
This book talks little about archaeology and when it does, the interpretation is poor at best.The author is very repetitive with the few sources he has.Despite the lack of a credible discussion of social space,the book is well written and easily read.

Textprovides a useful framework for studying capitalism
The book provides a good theoretical discussion of spatiality within the context of world systems theory. However, insufficient attention was paid to the dynamics of what was purported by Delle to be the major area ofstudy - the Yallahs Coffee Plantations of Jamaica. ... Read more

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"An exploration of African-American freedom fighters in Jamaica, presenting a history of resistance instead of a history of domination. The context of marronage is carefully established: the plantation system as an economic and ideological machine fuelled by the abuse of black working power." --New West-Indian Guide ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

fight for freedom
Dear Reader from the UK (previous review) please note that this book is about Jamaica, Jamaican Maroons and their history, which of course touches the topic of Haiti, but Haiti is NOT the main focus of this book and your review shows, that you mean a different book altogether.

The perfect introduction to Haitian history and culture
Haiti is a country that provokes strong responses and Libete is theperfect introduction to the wide variety of voices that have commented onthe country and its history. Inevitably, there is much tragedy to relateboth in the brutal history of slavery and in the later oppression andexploitation of the Haitian peasantry by the wealthy elite and theconsistent interference from successive U.S. governments, which sadlycontinues to this day.Each chapter focuses on a particular topic, drawingon around 20 different commentators, both foreign and Haitian. Many ofthese are contemporary reports, relating true life stories from the citystreets and country villages, showing a life that many people living inaffluent Western culture simply have no concept of at all. Yet the story ofHaiti is also one of struggle and courage in the face of adversity andthese voices are clearly heard as well in Libete. Many good people workingin small ways to the best of their ability to improve life for the poor,who form such an overwhelming majority. Another message that comes throughthe book is that it is this majority who constitute the soul of Haiti,which is so vibrantly expressed in Haitian culture. In the section onliterature, it is significant that Haitian authors, largely drawn from theelite class, either celebrate peasant culture or despise it - it is clearlytoo strong to simply ignore. Vodou is also an integral part of this cultureand the extracts included reflect the diversity of attitudes towards thismuch maligned spiritual tradition. One of my favourite sections is theselection of proverbs, amongst which is "Money goes where money is" whichseems to sum up current economic theory very neatly. Buy this book and findout how the majority live! ... Read more

Product Description
With the publication of her novel Annie John in 1985, Jamaica Kincaid entered the ranks of the best novelists of her generation. Her three autobiographical novels, Annie John, Lucy, and Autobiography of My Mother, and collection of short stories, At the Bottom of the River, touch on the universal theme of coming of age and the female adolescent's need to sever her ties to her mother. This angst is couched in the social landscape of post-colonial Antigua, a small Caribbean island whose legacy of racism affects Kincaid's protagonists. Her fiction rewrites the history of the Caribbean from a West Indies perspective and this milieu colors the experiences of her characters. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A town full of history
I was in Stewart Town on the weekend of March 20th to bury my grandfather Samuel Lowers in the cemtery of the old St. Thomas Anglican Church.As I walked through the cemetery, I came across 4 tombs on the left side of the church entrance.They were Stockhausens, one whom was Miriam. After returning, I went to the internet to find out more about Stewart Town's history and came across this name again (Stockhausen) which is such a coincidence.Now I'm more intrigued to learn more about this family and their links to Stewart Town. The book is a bit pricey though.

the last colonials
Written by someone who was a couple of years older than I at St. Andrew High School. We had two Stockhausens: Miss Doris, assistant headmistress, and a very formidable woman, and Mrs. Stockhausen who taught me embroidery. Both of these women have been great influences in my life. I would like to be in touch with Peta Gay, who I remember as a "big girl" and very pretty! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Wilson Bulletin, published by Wilson Ornithological Society on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 5858 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Despite conservation concern for the Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypsis swainsonii), little is known about its nonbreeding ecology. Because body condition can provide an indication of habitat quality, we examined Swainson's Warbler body condition indices in dry limestone forest and second growth scrub habitats in Jamaica, where this species was relatively common. In dry limestone forests, Swainson's Warblers showed no seasonal change in body mass corrected for structural size, furcular fat score, or age ratio. This contrasts with results from studies of other species of Neotropical migrant warblers that showed significant seasonal declines in body mass in similar xeric habitats. Dry limestone forest sites also supported a greater and less spatially variable biomass of prey commonly consumed by Swainson's Warblers than second growth scrub and shade coffee. Because Swainson's Warblers consume prey concealed beneath the leaf litter surface, they apparently are less susceptible to the extreme dry season desiccatio n that affects the availability of arthropods on the leaf litter surface and in the forest canopy. Swainson's Warbler density (0.6 birds/ha) and overwinter persistence (52%) also were relatively high in dry limestone forest sites, suggesting these forests provide high quality winter habitat for this species. Although Swainson's Warblers were able to increase body mass in preparation for migration in one second growth site, these disturbed habitats may vary in quality for Swainson's Warblers. Our results highlight the need for conservation of dry forests in the Greater Antilles as nonbreeding habitat for the Swainson's Warbler, as well as for numerous endemic species dependent upon these forests.

Citation Details
Title: Body condition of Swainson's Warblers wintering in Jamaica and the conservation value of Caribbean dry forests.
Author: Allan M. Strong
Publication: Wilson Bulletin (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2001
Publisher: Wilson Ornithological Society
Volume: 113Issue: 4Page: 410(9)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
By capturing the intentions, careers, and frustrations of Scottish migrants, Sojourners in the Sun illuminates an important and previously obscure aspect of migration history. Karras makes a significant contribution not only to Atlantic, Caribbean, and Chesapeake social history, but also to economic and Scottish history. ... Read more

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Waking Up in Jamaica is an unusual and revealing travel book that explores the musical roots of Jamaica. It is a wonderfully entertaining, honest, and informative book. ... Read more

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"Our Cause for His Glory" is a comprehensive historical study that describes the variedand various encounters of the Jamaican people with Christianity in the thirty years followingemancipation as enslaved peoples under British colonialism.

The mainly missionary source material gives an unofficial viewpoint on the vicissitudes of the times andallows an islandwide study beyond centres of colonial government. In particular, Jamaican voices andactions are emphasised to explain their own responses to religious life. The largely narrative styleprovides considerable evidence of the people's choice between an Afro-Jamaican Christianity or a Euro-Jamaican Christianity, influenced to a great extent by socioeconomic circumstances, which has affectedtheir religious initiatives into modern times.

Gordon's book is an excellent and resourceful guide for students of history and theology in particular,and post-emancipation Caribbean studies in general. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1906.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: Kingston, Jamaica : The Institute of Jamaica; Publication date: 1895; Subjects: Jamaica; History / Caribbean ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Atlantic slave economy was crucial to Britain's colonial enterprise during the eighteenth century but, after the 1780s, abolitionist campaigns helped to undermine the influence and power of British slaveholders. As inhabitants of the largest and most lucrative of the sugar islands in the British empire, slaveholders in Jamaica found themselves at the centre of a transatlantic conflict over the future of slavery, facing vehement political opposition from reformers in the metropole and encountering new kinds of local challenges. Slaveholders in Jamaica combines social and cultural history to explore the composition, social relations and cultural attitudes of the Jamaican slaveholding class during this era. It looks at how white colonists tried to maintain control over Jamaican society and provides a detailed account of their violent and increasingly radical efforts to defend the advantages that they enjoyed as slaveholding white men. This book is based on extensive research in British and Caribbean archives.It sheds valuable new light on the struggle for emancipation in the British empire and on the slaveholders who tried to maintain and defend a system of exploitation that has cast an enduring shadow over the modern world. ... Read more

Product Description
Historian David Buisseret teams up with aerial photographer Jack Tyndale-Biscoe to produce a beautiful visual portrait of Jamaica from pre-Columbian times to the present.

The author uses a variety of images to illustrate the text ranging from the dominant aerial photographs to contemporary maps and prints and satellite images. It brings to life Jamaicaxs rich history as well as its modern development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A WEALTH OF MAPS AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
For anyone interested in the history of Jamaica, this is a real treasure trove of a book.It is chock full of photographs, historic and modern maps, and historic prints on most every page.After describing the land and people before Columbus arrived, Buisseret covers the 16th c. Spanish period, the 17th c. invasion of the English, the 18th c. plantation system, 19th c. emancipation, and 20th c. independence, often giving fascinating tidbits of information that are hard to find elsewhere.
The modern aerial photos, by J. Tyndale-Biscoe, along with complimenting maps, of nearly every historic site mentioned are entrancing. You get a thorough tour of the island without having set foot there, along with a good overall history lesson spiced with intriguing details.
For any student of Caribbean piracy, this is a must.Much coverage is given to Port Royal, Spanish Town, and many other sites from the Buccaneer Era and Golden Age of Piracy.
The crown jewel of this book is the frontispiece - a reconstructed sketch map of Port Royal "as it may have appeared in about the year 1690", with streets, houses, major buildings, forts, wharfs, and landings, drawn by Oliver Cox in 1991. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a study of Caribbean male students
Statistics show that West Indian boys do not do as well in school and go to college less than their female counterparts.In this study, the authors try to find out why by observing classrooms, surveying students, and interviewing teachers.At last, men's studies is being produced from/about the Caribbean.

The book starts off by saying that gender is not a universal topic and that race and nationality are factors for which one must accommodate.The authors point out that some of them are black, but most are white.Further, the cover shows a white face and a black face staring in opposite directions.Despite all of this, this book compares black males to black females, not black males to white ones.Though the study takes place in an entirely black context, it really is a gender-only analysis.

Some of their conclusions are obvious.Boys are more aggressive.There are few male teachers, etc.Any educated reader could have hypothesized their results.

Additionally, very unintentionally, the authors point to glaring sexism in the West Indian school system.Female teacher prefer male students over female ones.A pregnant female student would be asked to leave, but the siring male would not.Girls are expected to be obedient and task-oriented while boys are allowed freedom and sometimes encourage to be anti-intellectual.I wish the authors would have applauded West Indian girls for learning in such an unfair environment.

I was surprised and delighted to see that the authors bring up and criticize homophobia in the Caribbean school system.If teachers are homophobic, then gay male students won't feel accepted.If male students have to expend energy proving that they are straight, they are siphoning off energy that could go toward studying.All those concerned about the plight of gay and bisexual black boys in schools should see this text.Further, homophobia is connected with discrimination against "nerds."The authors do a great job in showing how hegemonic masculinity hurts both gay and non-gay males.(I bring up that term because the authors faithfully cite Connell's pioneering work even though other writers have asked whether his ideas apply to men in the developing world.)

Finally, the authors have no suggestions at the end.I guess this positive rather than normative analysis helps them to look objective.Too, it would seem like the answer is to have more male teachers and privilege the plight of males more.In zero-sum settings like this, that would put women and girls at a disadvantage, so maybe the authors didn't want to go there.

As an African-American male, I was surprised to see that "male underachievement" is not just a problemhere, but in several places in the Black Diaspora. ... Read more

Product Description
Ten of the most fascinating tales of the island's past are here retold by one of her foremost historians. Three Fingered Jack, the Terror of Jmaica, the Sinister Annee Palmer of Rose Hall estate, Lewis Galdy, the Man who was buried twice, the women pirates, Anne Bonney and Mary Read, each in his or her own way is a memorable personality, with a story well worth telling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Dated and scanty history, but still fascinating stories.
Written in 1966, Tales of Old Jamaica is an example of the local folklore school of history. Clinton Black was the archivist in Spanish Town and writes like a local historian. The stories in the book, while interesting, are not detailed and often provide very little substance. Furthermore, the book was obviously intended for the tourist trade and the treatment of the subject is by turns sentimental and sensational.

The stories in the book include:

Annee Palmer of Rose Hall
The Man Who Was Buried Twice
The Golden Table
The Mission that Failed
The Women Pirates
The Mad Master of Edinburgh Castle
Mistress of the Jamaican Revels
The Case of the Counterfeit Doubloons
Three-fingered Jack
The Shark Papers

I presume that much of this material would be difficult to find elsewhere, and it seems fairly widely cited. Interesting enough for a casual read, but probably of most use for someone looking for specific material about Jamaican folklore specific largely to the white settlers. ... Read more