Signifyin' Guyana

Repost (with an update)

I updated this post to protect myself from being associated with Guyana911.blogspot[dot]com and from being included in any potential lawsuit involving the blog and the blogger.

http://signifyinguyana.typepad.com/signifyin_guyana/2009/10/dealing-once-again-with-a-public-nuisance.html

Further update: My picture has been removed from the offending blog's masthead, and I consider the removal (at this point) enough reason for me to discontinue my dispute with the blogger on this blog. Thanks for your comments.

Reclaiming my face

One of the downsides of having a public image (picture included) is the possibility that that image will be abused by mean-spirited folk.  That's just par for the course I have chosen.  To combat the misuse of my identity, I've decided to add a picture of me to this blog, and to my Twitter page. 

Please note: Copyright to the poems, prose, and images posted here at signifyinguyana.typepad[dot]com is retained by the individual authors and artists. All other writing and images are copyright © 2009 by Charmaine Valere (c.d.valere).  All rights reserved.

(It's cold in my office here at home.)

   

(And sometimes I work in my pajamas...complete with earrings.)

Is it really theft if you steal it from a blog?

Annie Paul asked (on Twitter): "What are protocols for blog consolidators who use your posts without your name appearing along with your post?"

Nicholas Laughlin responded: "Copyright is copyright, and reproducing in full is not covered by fair use..."

And the exchange got me swearing up and down that I'll never again publish anyone's poem in its entirety (though I've always been careful to include names, titles, and links where possible).  I've been informed that posting a poem in its entirety diminishes the value of the overall collection.

The exchange also made me think about this situation...

What if you logged on to your favourite social networking site one day and discovered the talk was all about a brilliant newspaper article, and when you checked out the article it closely resembled something you had written online a few months prior?  Would you just brush it aside and consider it mere coincidence?  Given that general scenario, a rational thinking person would probably do just that . . . brush it aside . . . call it mere coincidence.  But what if there's more to the scenario?

Some may assume the internet is a vast global place where good and bad blog writing go off to die more or less anonymously, and where blogs and such are not as noticeable as established newspapers, magazines, journals, and the like.  So what if one were to pinch from something one saw on a blog? Who'd care?  Well, if the internet is as vast as some assume, then the pincher may well get away with such an act.  But the truth is most of us who use the internet tend to visit and interact with the same sites and people regularly--the sites covering topics related to who we are and what we like to do.  And of course that's how internet communities are created.

So back to the case I mentioned earlier.  What if the writer of the "brilliant" article and you were part of such an internet community?  What if the chances of him / her having read your article were highly likely?

I'm not writing this to attack anyone in particular, even though I've experienced the above situation.  As startled as I was at the article's similarity to mine, I had to force myself to remember that similar ideas strike people all the time and though I may have said it first within our internet community, that may not necessarily mean the person deliberately stole my idea.  It may have simply been a case of mild pinching.

But though I'm willing to be generous about the issue, copyright violation is still a troubling one on the internet.  It may range from the kinder gentler unauthorized cross postings (where websites "host" your blog to add to their site's content FOR FREE) to instances of outright theft, where people use content from your blog without linking or attributing the source.  Some people don't seem to think copyright laws governing offline publications apply to the internet.

The rules governing theft of offline material are pretty clear.  If you take words verbatim (or in poorly disguised paraphrasing form) from some place else and pass them off as your own, you're plagiarizing, and the penalties could be pretty stiff.  Folks have been fired from academia and from media jobs for plagiarism, and others have been publicly embarrassed and have had their offending work pulled from shelves by publishers and book sellers.

In academia, to avoid repeating someone else's thesis, one is required to do thorough research and acknowledge those who said something similar.  The ultimate goal in much of academic writing is of course to say something new, and prove that it is new.  But even they don't always accomplish the task of saying something new every time.

It would be unreasonable to expect anyone to say something new all the time.  I certainly don't claim to always do so on this blog, but I do attribute my sources when I use them, and I expect anyone who borrows something I say here or over at Baiganchoka to kindly cite the source.

If we can't rely on folks to be honorable about citing internet sources, and about asking for permission to use content, then . . . well, let's just hope it doesn't get to this.

Rebels and uniforms

"That uniform is gonna make us all look like fat geeks," she said.

She was one of a group of students at my son's school who had signed a petition declaring their disagreement with the school's proposal to introduce uniforms.  Their most vehement point (fat and geeky aside) was that uniforms take away individuality and help to kill free expression--their greatest right as American citizens.

Poor babies.  I saw the uniform proposed and I imagine they'd find it hard to be rogues in burgundy, emblem-ed, polo shirts, loose-fitting khaki pants, and black shoes.  How on earth would it look hanging out and trying to cause trouble in such garb!?  And imagine the difficulty of having to blend a school-shirking friend from another school (or from wherever) into the crowd!  Of course, those (I imagine) are the unspoken secret concerns of some of the students.  Outwardly, the main protest was based on the ever precious right of the individual to free expression.

American pop culture has its fair share of the rogue idol.  He is often known by his first name only--Jimmy, Fonzie, Kanye.  He is given clever barbs and amazing come-backs.  He has been deemed the picture envisioned by the founding fathers in their description of the individual deserving of all those inalienable rights.  And I'm sure the students outraged at the uniform proposal could easily cite many examples of individuals they admire in the fare they are offered on TV, in books, and on the silver screen, who have successfully defied some attempt to make them act or appear like sheep.

But I could have told them about some of the esteemed trouble makers I knew who wore full school uniform--hat, tie, skirt below-the-knees, stiff white shirt, seamed pant...

One was Patrick.

He strode up to the podium, tall, dark, confident, neat in his sixth form uniform, fresh from leading his debate team to victory in an interschool competition.  Many of us who were younger were unable to fully grasp the analogy he made in describing a Machiavellian Prince in the Caribbean, but from the rapt nervous attention he was being given by the teachers seated behind us, we knew the speech wasn't only good, but dangerously defiant.

I could also have told those young anti-uniform-ites that sometimes uniforms are disguised as freely chosen clothing, and sometimes uniformity takes other forms than clothing, but they serve the same purpose--they label, they suggest conformity, they confirm identity--and that one's "uniforms" are even likely to change as one ages.

A character in Pauline Melville's Eating Air notes the uniforms of the young capitalists around him: "...the pony-tailed hedge-fund managers and punk investment bankers who were hang-gliding to work; the global head-hunters with aviator dark glasses and red braces who sang gangsta-rap lyrics in their lunch breaks and exchanged high-fives with street gangs as they roller-bladed into the City..." and he is saddened that capitalism (in his view) has been mistaken for freedom.

But isn't he really just witnessing a younger generation's take on what it means to be free and revolutionary?

I wish I could have explained all of that to the young revolutionaries at my son's school who think trading their disguised uniformed jeans and hoodies for a more recognizable polo and khaki look would completely ruin their lives.  But instead I checked the yes boxes and in doing so joined the chorus of parents and teachers who for the moment can dictate exactly what those young revolutionaries will be wearing to school for the next few years of their lives.

I saw Patrick recently...late forties, married, two children, shiny SUV, great city job, comfy suburban home, regular family vacations, fat with too much good food and drink and little or no exercise.  I reminded him of that speech he gave, and he laughed and said now he only talks like that at reunion gatherings when he's full of piss and liquor.  I laughed too, but I hope he felt as sad as I did about that.  I felt like stamping a sign on his fat belly that said: "I was once a brilliant rogue in a high school uniform." 

Why review?

--To tell the world (or as many people as possible) about a great book you read?

--To tell (same world or less) about a book whose author should be flogged to just within inches of his life, and then be made to replant all the trees wasted in the book's publication?

Yes and yes.  More often than not the books I read get me so excited (did I mention I am a book lover?) I want as many people as possible to read them and hopefully have the same great experience I had.  Notice I said hopefully.  After all, I could only hope the person(s) to whom I recommend a book enjoy(s) it as much as I did.  Nothing sure about that.

And likewise, there are those times when I want to share the shortcomings of a book in a way that is fair to the writer, but true to my opinion of it.  (I never...okay, I rarely ever recommend a writer be flogged for a lousy book.  Planting trees, now that's a good idea.)  Of course it's tougher to have a good outcome--chagrined writer, justified reviewer, grateful readers (best scenario)--in response to an unfavorable review.  That may be the reason some reviewers avoid saying anything about a book they don't like, or why some try to cushion any blow with vague descriptions like "puzzling," "not my taste," "not his/her best work," and other such language.  Some reviewers also try to suggest reasons (excuses for) why a book may be less than stellar.  And then of course there are those reviewers who just seem to gleefully pounce on the offending book and beat it and the writer bloody (A lot of violence in my writing today, ain't it?  I may be feeling her influence :-)

The fact is, all reviewers, like all books and writers, aren't equal.  At one extreme are those reviewers who are clearly no more than publicists writing gushy reviews to promote book sales.  At the other extreme are those who can't hide the chip on their shoulders about writers and publishers and delight in finding fault with every book they read.  Between the extremes there's still a lot of shady ground associated with motive and the need for moonlighting or freelance work for writers / book reviewers.  All of that is probably why some people take book reviews with a fat pinch of salt (or a dose of salts, depending on which end of the anatomy they think needs the most help processing the review).

A friend of mine said he doesn't read my reviews because he considers them a whole load of butt-kissing. Don't cry for me.  He's a sweetie really, and I truly dig the fact that he tells me exactly how he feels.  Well, most of the time.  But on with my opinion...

I usually tread a fine line here with my reviews.  You see, it's not only the reviewers and writers who are unequal (in terms of knowledge, writing skills, and what not), the marketplaces for books are also glaringly unequal.  Even in this space where I review/feature--this cyber-constructed Caribbean space--I am aware that the marketplace for Caribbean books is a small one.  Many of the books I review/feature/and tweet about by Caribbean writers are yet to find a consistently interested, buying Caribbean readership here outside of the Caribbean (read Caribbean Book Blog for more on book marketing/publishing issues within and outside the Caribbean). 

So here's my dilemma: part of what I see myself doing here is helping to create a marketplace for the books I review and feature.  But it ain't easy.  So when I berate a book, I feel I'm helping to make it less buyable in a very stingy marketplace.  And I don't feel good about that at all.

But even with the serious considerations for marketplace and readership, I still do my best to be honest about any book I review here.  Understand this disclaimer though: my reviews /analyses are solely based on the text, and what I see there (unless otherwise noted) is entirely my interpretation.

So if you think you see kiss-ass, gush, what-de-eff-she-talking-bout-she-musse-hate-he in any review, then just nod your head and smile.  But please buy the book and check it out for yourself.

And here's a parting gift from John Steinbeck for the writer who just can't seem to separate his or her sense of self from the writing (good or bad) he or she produces:

Writing to me is a deeply personal, even a secret function, and when the product I [turn] loose [is] cut off from me, I have no sense of [it] being mine.  Consequently, criticism doesn't mean anything to me.  As a disciplinary matter, it is too late.

 

The Caribbean Review of Books, Issue 20: Quotable quotes (part 2)

Andre Bagoo on Trinidad Noir:

 

Trinidad has been dying for a book like this.  A work of fiction that explicitly attempts--however successfully or not--to tackle the seemingly intractable problem of crime which has seen the island's murder rate shatter records.

Despite his over-the-top opening statement (The whole of Trinidad?  Dying for it?), Bagoo presents a comprehensive discussion of the collection's strengths and weaknesses, and the writers' applications of the Noir genre.  I'm at least encouraged to complete my reading of it.

_____________________________

[To read the full length of Andre Bagoo's review and other reviews and analyses of Caribbean books, support the CRB by subscribing online at www.caribbeanreviewofbooks.com ]

The Caribbean Review of Books, Issue 20: Quotable quotes (part 1)

Kei Miller on Marlon James's Book of Night Women:

If one were to be pedantic, there are things we could quibble over in James's slave dialect recreation, both as sound and as it appears on the page: the skillful use of the Joycean em-dash to render speech; the colourful vocabulary; a sensibility which at times feels very contemporary--the compromises made for the sake of a wider readership--for instance, the word "nigger" in preference to the more distinctly Jamaican "nayga"; the anachronisms sprinkled throughout: "Say dat over and over till it turn into sankey and yuh soon start believe it" -- this is 1800, forty years before Ira Sankey was even born, let alone penned his book of hymns . . . but does any of this matter one lick?  Resoundingly, it doesn't.  What's more, is it likely that James himself was aware of these anachronisms.  He thankfully understands that the big question we must ask of fiction is not, Is this accurate? but, rather, Does this work?

__________________________

I tend to believe, as Miller points out, many of the anachronisms in the text are carefully constructed with a wide contemporary readership in mind.  I consider myself part of that wide contemporary group.  But, is the book's appeal to us worth the sacrifice of a good review from a "sniffy" stick-to-it reader or two? 

Meanwhile, here's another quotable quote in Issue 20 of the CRB from Andre Bagoo's review of Trinidad Noir.  

[To read the full length of Kei Miller's review and other reviews and analyses of Caribbean books, support the CRB by subscribing online at www.caribbeanreviewofbooks.com ]

Dealing (once again) with a public nuisance

I, Charmaine Valere, am in no way associated with Guyana911.blogspot[dot]com.  The picture of me on the blog's masthead is a completely dishonest representation.  I am not, and have never been, the author or a contributor there.

And if you're interested in finding out who blogs at Guyana911.blogspot[dot]com, check out the IP addresses listed on the site's dossier, and compare with the IP addresses listed for Ruel Johnson's blog cumae.blogspot[dot]com.

Guyana pics..."There's a story waiting to be told in every step, every second, every frame."

And you are the interpreter.

Phillip and Suelle Williams, who put together the pictorial perspective of Guyana (imaged left), certainly seem to think the story about a picture is what the beholder sees there.  Their 40-page collection of photographs, titled Lovely Guyana, has no captions or labels.  They just simply invite us to enjoy the stories waiting to be told.

True to the promise of something to talk about or something to remember, each individual photograph is rich with dimensions and images to facilitate several stories.  There is for instance the one of a coconut tree full of the fruit, shot from below.  For those of us who have to settle for a can of coconut water, the pic is both a sweet reminder / keepsake view of the real source, and one that could induce wistful longing for something that is out of reach.  For the romantic viewer, there are the dreamy shots of sunsets and dawns, and the shots of lush greenery dotted with vivid, striking colors of flowers.  Birds, bodies of water, a Rupununi mountain, and sand and rock surfaces also provide plenty of fodder for stories of Guyana's natural settings.

Then there are the individual photographs of man-made structures--modes of transportation, forms of communication, types of habitat--which tell stories of Guyana's past and present.

Two "people" shots, one of a woman looking at the camera, and another of a couple sitting on a bridge backing the camera, allow the viewer to conjure up stories about what he or she imagines is taking place between the photographer and the subject(s), and between the subjects (in the couple pic).

And there's more...

Beyond the individual stories, the collection takes on a profound philosophical tone, which can be found in the juxtaposed photographs.  The viewer is invited to contemplate several interesting opposites: performance and arrangement opposite candidness; fruitful opposite barren; endurance opposite decay; cultured/well-tended opposite untended/wild; crowding opposite space...

The viewer is also invited to contemplate similarities in things he or she might not normally expect--similarities for instance in form and structure that bring the old and the new a lot closer together than one might expect.  

Overall, the collection of photographs in Lovely Guyana is both fun and serious.  One can contemplate deeply or browse lightly, reminisce, and learn.  But perhaps most importantly, you'll definitely get perspectives of Guyana which will allow you to go beyond the skewed pics and politics typically seen in the news.  I encourage you to get your own copy and interpret for yourselves.

Bonus: If you'd like facts to accompany your interpretations (I did), you can get them here.

Enjoy!

Lovely Guyana: A Pictorial Perspective. Phillip and Suelle Williams (copyright 2009).

Marlon James's The Book of Night Women: Another great addition to the literary gathering of signifyin' women

Relentless!

The violence, the graphic, coarse language, the whippings, rapes, and other brutalities, the rages, the bravery and resistance, and the love--all of it nonstop--make Marlon James's The Book of Night Women hard to put down.

Critic Maud Newton says she read it in one sitting--all 417 pages of it.  Good for her.  If you like a quick-paced read with all the above ingredients, and if you have a few hours to spare, you could probably read it in one sitting too.  Not me though.  I had to take breaks from the details from time to time.

Once I was done reading it, I was convinced The Book of Night Women is more than worthy of a place of honor in the tradition of stories that bring us great signifyin' black women.  James gives us black signifyin' women in an enslaved Caribbean setting, and though his women--Lilith and Homer, in particular--are new additions to the canon, they are very much like many of their predecessors.  Their stories of bravery, ingenuity, tragedy, vulnerability . . . all their complexities have been preceded by stories of women real and make believe: Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Mary Seacole, Nanny, Harriet Jacobs, Toni Morrison's women, Gloria Naylor's women, and many others.

The women all share roots in Africa where some of their female ancestors first ruled and led many, and where they learned (and passed on to other generations of women) their power was in the brain, the hands, and between the legs.  Just like their kinfolk who were taken to other parts of the Americas, James's Jamaican signifyin' women fight and love in a language which mocks and mimics that of the one they call master.  Their use of that language is another addition to their arsenal of power which survived the passage to the Americas--power that includes bush knowledge, healing techniques, organizational skills, and storytelling.

Lilith and Homer are two women of different generations in slavery.  They are house slaves whose lives are driven by indomitable pride, and the desire for something redeeming.  Homer seems driven by the desire to exact revenge for the way she and her children have been treated.  Lilith seems to be driven by the desire for a better life than the one she has.  Much of what propels the novel is the feeling that both women will see their desires actualized.  And so, though one may be horrified by the details of their lives, and though one is constantly hit by the daunting phrase "every negro walk in a circle," the will of both women to live and hope is a strong pull throughout the novel.

If you'd like to read their compelling stories for yourself, be the first to let me know and I'll send you a copy of the book.

Caution: If you know you're squeamish about blood, violence, and cuss words, then this may not be the book for you.  I just bought a copy for my aunt and she'll be my test audience in that group.  I'll let you know if she survives it, but consider yourself warned.