Texturing the Word. 40 years of Caribbean writing in Britain - ACE438.4

Caption: "Part Two. The Settlers." Lamming talking about migration, "not a literary matter" but part of a widespread population movement. Figueroa talks about coming to Britain in August 1946, the people he met on the boat, working with the radio series "Caribbean Voices", and giving public readings.Lamming on the people he met on the boat on which he came to Britain and the expectations they had. Figueroa on the post-war situation in Britain – no street lighting, strict rationing – and on the few publications available, Bim, and Kyk Over Al. Lamming on the importance of "Caribbean Voices" paying for material, and the way it encouraged people to contribute or to read for broadcast. He says his fees from the series enabled him to write In the Castle of My Skin (1953). Figueroa thinks that the response to Caribbean authors’ work at that time over-inflated their reputations – examples of the books. Kamau Brathwaite says that British critics were unable to get to grips with Caribbean writing; they promoted people of whom they approved but who did not necessarily reflect the complexities of the Caribbean experience.