I was not
familiar with Aime Cesaire before reading this book, but I was entranced with
the essays and expanded by the ideas contained within this notebook.
Aime
Cesaire, from the Carribean island of Martinique, has written an incredibly
powerful poem that focuses on the sufferings of Black people under colonialism.
The poem, surrealist in nature at times, features rich language and detailed
poetic pictures of the inequalities, hard labor, and abuse that the Black
people endured under the oppression of colonialist rule. But Cesaire also
infuses the poem, in its final passages, with hope for a brighter day in the
struggle against racism where the race will be "standing and free."
Cesaire was co-creator (with Leopold Senghor) of the concept of Negritude, a
literary and cultural movement that emphasized pride in African heritage and
culture. His poem is one of the finest examples of 20th century poetry and it
demands close reading to unveil its many sparkling diamonds. It is a literary
minefield that will enrich all who attend to its beauty and truth.
Book review by Liza S.
