Solibo Magnificent

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Description

It is carnival time in Fort-de-France, Martinique. Before an enthralled crowd Solibo Magnificent, the great teller of tales, is felled, seemingly choked by his own words. Is it autostrangulation or murder Two officers lead the investigation, but what they discover is a transitory universe at the threshold of oblivion - the universe of the Masters of the Word who, like Solibo, possess the gift of language: perfect for rich and boundless discourse, but not very helpful for unravelling a crime. Patrick Chamoiseau's intriguing riff on the police procedural is a stunning confirmation of the 'exceptional and original gifts' (New York Times) that have placed him among the world's foremost contemporary writers.

Author Bio

Patrick Chamoiseau was born in 1953 in Fort de France, Martinique; he was educated in Martinique before moving to Paris to study law. Chamoiseau is the author of a historical work on the Antilles under Bonaparte and two non-fiction works: In Praise of Creoleness and To Write in a Dominated Country. His novels are Chronique des sept miseres, Solibo le magnifique and, most recently, Texaco. He has also published a volume of Caribbean folk tales. In 1992 Patrick Chamoiseau was awarded the Prix Goncourt. Texaco has sold 290,000 in the original trade paperback edition, 57,000 in B format and 143,000 in book club editions. Translation rights for this novel have been sold in 14 countries. Granta Books will be publishing Patrick Chamoiseau's new novel Solibo le magnifique in early 1999. Patrick Chamoiseau lives in Fort de France, Martinique.