For a while now I have been trying to read a romance novel, but every time that I am opening up that book my mind wanders off. Not that it's a terrible book, I couldn't say cause I'm still at the starting point π . It's just that I feel a disconnect and my bias kicks in when reading the story, because the book's written by a western writer through a western lens.
I never had that problem when growing up, heck most of the books I've read were written by western writers, as most of the books at the public library were donated by again westerners. Also, the books that I read before this one were by western writers, but I didn't seem to have this problem. And then I got to thinking, the difference between this book and all the others is that this romance is taking place in this region. To be specific in Brazil during colonial times.
My issue is then not with the writer himself or the theme, but I can't seem to place myself in the western characters; I don't identify with them. I may be able to understand them, but I'm also asking myself "what do the local charachters think or feel about the way they are being treated?" That is what I'm interested in. And I am aware that the point of view from the westerners side may be true to history from their perspective, but at this point in time I am looking for a familiarity and something that I can identify with.
And then there's this local concern that children are reading less and less, because they can't identify with the characters and don't recognize their own experiences in the majority of literature at their disposal. This issue can be approached by having more literature of local and regional writers available in school- and public libraries and more copies instead of just one. Also more plays of local and regional literature, instead of Shakespeare in high school.
Some books from local writers that I can identify with and which I recommend are Hoe duur was de suiker? (The Cost of Sugar) from Cynthia McLeod, De Koningin van Paramaribo from Clark Accord and Sarnami, hai from Bea Vianen. My favorite of the three is Koningin van Paramaribo (The Queen of Paramaribo), which is a telling based on a true story of a local prostitute Maxi Linder. All of these books are telling stories of people who were here before me; whether true or fiction;, trying to find themselves in a country that seems so simple, yet has its own complexities. Narrating trials and burdens that transcend borders, because they might be familiar to other parts of Latin America or the Caribbean or even the world.
Ok, those books are more suited for older kids or adults, but my favorite Surinamese writer of children's books is Gerrit Barron. Some of his works include Het geheim van de Goslar, Kamla en de vergulde man and De hemelbrug. His books describe cultures, places, mannerisms, amongst other themes that I can recognize and bond over.
Do you also experience what I have or does it not matter to you what the next generation will read? And what are your favorite books from your local writers? Let me know in the comment section below.
