The Rainy Season - by Amy Wilentz

Are you mystified by Haiti's miserable poverty and disease, its long history of abusive dictators and endless number of International NGO's? Do you wonder why the neighboring Dominican Republic is so green and Haiti so bare? Journalist-writer, Amy Wilentz, moved to Haiti in 1986 as Duvalier was ousted from his 25 year control of the country. She fully expected Haiti to make drastic changes for the better and wanted to give witness to the process. Instead, she learned its sad history, met its colorful people and wrote a superbly researched account of her sojourn.

The close intertwining of politics, disease, famine, voodoo and horrendous human rights abuses that she documented are still the cause of untold misery for our Haitian brothers and sisters. As you read, you will find answers to your questions, encounter Tonton Macoutes, dictators, voodoo priests, historical heroes and villains and learn over two hundred years of Haitian history.

(Reviewed by GL.)

Een prachtig en ook heel informatief boek. Onmiddellijk de juiste toon: afwisseling van vooral beschrijving en evoca¬tie, met af en toe analyse. Lichtelijk romantiserend en idealistisch, pro-Aristide.
Soms bijna profetische inslag: Aristide is de hoofdfiguur, zijn verhaal valt gelijk met dat van Haiti zelf, hij is de sleutel om het land te kunnen begrijpen. Ook opvallend: de zeer kritische inslag tegenover het Ameri¬kaanse beleid. ( )

An excellent, on the ground reporting of a critical moment in Haitian history. ( )