The Faithful Friend is a French tale base in the Caribbean on the island of Martinique. Two inseparable friends, Clement and Hippolyte, are on a journey to propose marriage. After a beautiful woman named Pauline accepts Clement's proposal her uncle sets out to destroy them both. Three zombies have cast spells on the couple and it's up to Hippolyte to save them. The content seems to be appropriate for the ages indicated on the back of the book. However, there are some fairly complex words within the text, but a glossary has been provided at the beginning of the book. The Faithful Friend is definately written for young children, yet adults will enjoy the tale as well. Each illustration brings more meaning to the text. It uses bright, beautiful colors that words could never describe. They are also very accurate and consistent with the story. The artist uses a scratchboard technique throughout the entire book. This book seems to have been binded well, and the front cover bears two handsome young African boys, along with the Caldecott Honor sticker! Two thumbs up!!

This book represents the length that a friend will go to help and care for a true friend. These two young men have built a very strong bond that holds them together like brothers. This story takes place on an island with many twists and turns that make it a very exciting story. I think it is very important to let children know that we should be loyal to others in time of need. This story really hits on the true meaning of friendship, although it is fiction. My students love the illustrations which are done in scratchboard. Robert D. San Souci is a very good author for folk literature. I also like his book, The Talking Eggs. His work is good for teaching good values, or morals to students through unreal happenings.

This story is told similar to that of a folkloric tale passed on for many years from generation to generation. It has spiritual undertones and an essence of an important life lesson passed down time and again in a family. The illustrations are wonderful, (Pinkney's artwork is always great) and it is evocative of the island's mystery and danger. The two main characters' friendship is strong, bi-racial and surprise! The friend proving loyalty is the white man to the black man. This is a new one. It is the black man who has good fortune and is getting married! We need more examples like this in children's literature of mixed friendships, different ways to look at the world, new culture, strange new lands, and ties that bind people together rather than the tired old stereotypes. The students in my classroom loved this tale, because it was so fresh and new. As a teacher who is caucasian teaching in a predominantly black school, I look to Robert D. San Souci for interesting stories that appeal to the population I teach. The students always enjoy his stories such as The White Cat, etc. All are folktales with strong, interesting themes.

If you have read Chamoisaeu's other novels, you should appreciate this. Although it is not as fully developed as his later novels, Solibo Magnifique and Texaco, it is a wonderful first novel. His style and personality as a writer are clear from the start.

The reader gets a treat at the end. Included are several poems that Chamoiseau wrote that evoke the people, places, etc. These poems were written as part of the planning process of the book and even though they were left out the text of the book, they capture the spirit.

Some of the best things we've ever been, the connections that make us who we are, will never be recorded in print. The life we lived and where we fit in survives only in memory. After those who knew us are gone, there will be no one to repeat our stories. Entire populations will vanish, perhaps to make a brief appearance in accounts of war or disaster. Don't let that happen.

The people in Chronicle Of The Seven Sorrows will never grace the pages of textbooks. Their very existence is almost lost to time. A culture rich in heritage, beliefs, and far too much suffering has vanished. Only ghosts and a few authors like Chamoiseau strive to keep the past alive.

It is our loss, you'll realize after reading Chronicle Of The Seven Sorrows. We have cheated ourselves and we have been cheated.

There was a time in Martinique when its people still listened to the voices of ghosts, dorlis, and zombies. The undead as much a part of their lives as the buyers in the marketplace, and often, the only verbal link to their past. Memories of slavery, brutality, and stolen moments of joy, remained only beneath grave soil. And, while not everyone stayed to hear the song of their history, there were some who were unable to tear themselves away.

Pipi Soleil, king of the marketplace djobbers, was one of the enchanted. He was destined to become the master of masters of the wheelbarrow and to be lured away from that exalted position again and again by the spirits' voices. His life story forms the core of this spellbinding and animated account of a lost time and way-of-life.

Chamoiseau's words tumble over themselves, and read like a late-night storytelling session. Each tale attempts to top the ones before it. The conversational style recaptures the oral tradition and, like truly great gossip, captures the reader, too. The voice of Fort-de France, Martinique's vegetable market people spills out in a irresistible tangle.

The residents of Chronicle Of The Seven Sorrows speak in the distinctive Creole tongue. Coverdale's translation retains that flavour and sound, so you may spend some time flipping to the notes in the back of the novel. Some phrases may need translation, but the momentary pause is well worth the detour; there is as much history in the notes as in the story.

The original words are essential; when you spy on Phosphore the grave-digger and Anatole-Anatole (father and son dorlis) listening to the sad murmurs of the burial ground's deceased residents. Missing the wrenching questions of Afoukal the zombie would be a deprivation akin to his own.

Yes. Most of the population of Martinique was undead. But how much more life they embodied! How much more they had in the time before progress and government "assistance" banished them to fading shadows.

The people and cultures don't have to wither away. Fight back. Cherish every word of Chamoiseau's you can latch onto. The voice of the past of Martinique will make you grieve for precious things lost, and hunger for more stories to bring them back just once more.

Lynne Sullivan's Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica & St. Lucia Alive focuses on the best of the regions, from shopping to outdoors activities and nightclubs. All details on customs, culture and opportunities are covered for destination-bound visitors.

My wife and I went to St. Lucia in April. We had prepared for our trip by reading all this book had to say about the island, which was very helpful in planning day trips, money exchange, restaurants, etc. We took the book with us and it was extremely helpful with maps when we drove around the island, and the different side trips off the main road. I would highly recommend it to any who are planning a trip to that area!

Patrick Chamoiseau's Solibo Magnificent is a powerful novel, both hilarious and tragic at once. In Fort-de-France, Martinique, Solibo (a Creole nickname meaning somersault or pirouette) has dropped dead in front of some of his followers after uttering a non-sequitor, "That potato!" His band of listeners, believing this to be a part of Solibo's act, wait patiently for the great man to rouse himself. When he doesn't, the police are brought in, and they at once suspect the witnesses , which include the character of the author, of having murdered Solibo. What follows is part slapstick, part theater of the absurb, part philosophy, part tragedy, part magic, all poetry. Somehow Chamoiseaux manages to meld these elements into a coherent whole that makes this novel an extraordinary experience.

As other reviewers have noted, this story is not only about the death and murder investigation of a beloved storyteller, but about the death of the oral tradition in general. Chamoiseau leaves no doubt that he intends the reader to walk away with this notion. Written words are inadequate to describe the power of the spoken; one has only to read the reconstructed version of Solibo's last words at the end of the book to understand this. Despite the somewhat heavy-handed approach to his theme, Chamoiseau tells a riveting story with natural lyricism. (Kudos to the translators!)

This author deserves a much wider readership (or is it audience?)

What a great novel! Chamoiseau manages to create both a rich alleghory on the death of oral tradition, and a keystone cops-style farce. The style and language that Chamoiseau plays with here is a delight to read, and takes on an added weight considering the setting. It's reminiscent of Rushdie's mishmash of Indian and English to make a point in Midnight's Children. Kudos to the translator for not attempting to translate everything in the text. There are footnotes to a glossary, which at first seems daunting, but is very rewarding - I never thought footnotes could lead to so much laughter (I take that back, D.F. Wallace). Ultimately, this book is a love affair of language. Enjoy!

Creole Folktales is fantastic! His use of language creates an atmosphere that is alive with beautiful images. The underlying meanings of each story (12) are so powerful. When you read it you won't be able to put it down and when you're finished you'll never forget them!

Creole Folktales is awesome! The tales are full of vision and magical twists leading the reader to understand the Creole folklore tradition. Patrick Chamoiseau's stories are timeless, almost like each word was dusted with magic--you'll hang on each Folktale wanting more inspiration and laughter. Warning: After reading this book, you'll want to fly to Martinique and experience that country--or--like me, read more of Patrick Chamoisseau's books.

Folktale books are frequently viewed as "children's" books or books of interest only to the specialist. This book is of interest to anyone who enjoys good stories and Chamoiseau's use of language.

Examples of the tales:
The Rainmaker is a tale of disbelief in the ability of a rainmaker - disbelief that leaves the people with misery.

Lil' Fellow the Musician is a tale of a child with magical musical abilities - whose lack of caution is his downfall.

Ti-Jean Horizon is a delightful trickster tale in which the trickster "steals" his birthright.

The Most Beautiful One Is Under the Tub is a tale where a parrot's nonsense ultimately is meaningful - in the right situation.

The stories are told in an oral style but not in a simple style. An example: "So she was famine's best friend, which proves without a doubt that a friendship is not necessarily one of life's true pleasures." But this book is pure pleasure.

I found this guide pleasant to look through, but not half as helpful as Best Dives of the Caribbean by Hunter Publishing, which gives a lot more detail on the dive sites, places for kids to snorkel, hotels and everything I need to plan a vacation.

July 2001 I dove several of the sites reviewed by ms Ryan and Mr Savage
and found their profiles of the dives to be very accurate and
helpful.I hope she and Brian Savage will do a "complete
DG of the Bahamas,I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Whilst I have no personal vested interest in this book, I cannot let the appalling "One Star" review by the "anonymous" reader from Danbury CT go unchallenged. This is a rogue review that should be ignored.

There are a good number of competent Scuba Divers (and some that are not!) who seem to think they can write a book on whatever aspect of diving they have personally experienced. As a result, far too many Diving books of poor quality are available today. It is imperative, therefore, that any "review" is confined to the actual content of the final product and is both honest and accurate. This is a "Duty of Care" towards the prospective purchaser.

It is very sad to see an excellent piece of work by two Authors who, incidentally, are completely unknown to me, rubbished by an appalling review based on the simple fact that the reviewer preferred another book. That, is NOT a good reason for any review. Trying to compare a family saloon car to a tractor is simply not possible - because their roles are not interchangeable.

The Complete Diving Guide to the Caribbean (Vol. 1) is not about the "best" dive sites within the entire Caribbean (although those within the catchment area of this book are included), it is exactly what it claims to be - a complete diving guide to 7 Caribbean countries.

I am not familiar with "Best Dives of the Caribbean" so I have no comment to make. I do, however, posses an extensive library on the subject of Scuba Diving, Ships, the Sea and related topics and I have to say that any person giving The Complete Diving Guide to the Caribbean (Vol. 1) a "One Star" rating simply understands neither the product they seek to review nor their obligations in doing so.

In conclusion, may I suggest any prospective purchaser reads all the other "5 Star" ratings given to this book so as not to be influenced by a rogue review to which someone prefers not to add their name.

Sincerely

NM

I bought this book because I love childhood memoirs. This is a beautiful discription of a mother who is probably on the edge and you never know it from the little boy's point of view. He sees beauty, humor, and ugliness in a poor, but loving Port de France, Martinique. I loved it and look forward to reading another of Chamoiseau's books.

When I bought this book, there was no clear indication that it was written totally in French. I can speak and write a bit so I got by and the book seems very thorough. Lots of good maps and pictures accompanies this guide for Guadeloupe, Martinique, St.Barths, St.Martin and even a few of the neighbouring islands such as Antigua, St.Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla. Again, let me emphasize that the Michelin guides are totally written in French!

This book is well organized and written, but I was never sure how up-to-date the information was. The book was first written back in the 1960's and was last published in 2001. The author does not ease my concerns because in several places in the book he says this is the way it was in the early 1970's, or I went back in 1984 to update this information. It reminds me of listening to my father reminisce about the good old days-pleasent stories, but not always relevant to the way things are today. Also, there are few pictures contained in the book and none of them are in color. This adds to the feel that the book was written in the 1960's and it certainly does not create excitement or motivate anyone to go to the Windward Islands. In summary, the positives are: detailed information on navigation, sailing routes, areas with tricky currents, waves, etc. The negatives: limited and/or outdated information on navigation hazards, buoy locations, places to get provisions, restaurants, hotels, shops etc. This is a pricey book and I would expect it not to be outdated and dull. It appears that the book is slipping from a cruising guide to an autobiography by Mr. Street. I would skip this one.

I bought this book because it was recently published, but the quality was terrible.
The book reads more like something from the tourist office than an objective guide and so it's hard to tell what things are really like. I get the impression that the author does not really know the islands very well.

I only went to Martinique, so I have only read half the book. But here are some things that surprised me:
There is no mention of the hot springs on the trail near Precheur, even though these are a splendidly unusual attraction.
The maps in the book are woefully feeble. A map with all the beaches and major attractions on it would be a great help to anyone planning a vacation.
The book says that award-wiining French chef Paul Bocuse presides in the kitchen of the Novotel Carayou in Trois-Ilets. Yet at the hotel they have never heard of the great man. I would expect an extraordinary claim such as this to be checked before publication.
If you're going to the Frecnh carribean, buy a different guide.