Patrick Chamoiseau – Recovering Memory: Contemporary French and Francophone Cultures

An important voice from the complex, polyglot society of Martinique, Patrick Chamoiseau is chiefly known for his boldly imaginative 1992 novel Texaco, which won the Prix Goncourt. In the first study of his work in English, Maeve McCusker skillfully examines Chamoiseau in light of his postcolonial background—Martinique, founded on slavery, is now officially a region of France—and focuses on his representation of memory. Her exploration of Chamoiseau’s depiction of the workings of memory solidifies her position as the world authority on the author and serves as an invaluable introduction to his work.