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Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Trilogy
Available in English for the first time, Marie Vieux-Chauvet’s stunning trilogy of novellas is a remarkable literary event. In a brilliant translation by Rose-Myriam Réjouis and Val Vinokur, Love, Anger, Madness is a scathing response to the struggles of race, class, and sex that have ruled Haiti. Suppressed upon its initial publication in 1968, this major work became an u...more
Hardcover, 416 pages
Published
August 4th 2009
by Modern Library
(first published 1968)
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Breaking the Silence
“Anger” By Marie Vieux-Chauvet. Modern Library: 2010. $15.
Marie Vieux-Chauvet’s “Anger” is truly a testament of courage and defiance amidst one of the most oppressive and violent regimes of our time. Written in Haiti during the infamous dictatorship of Francois Duvalier (also known as “Papa Doc”), “Anger” is a rare experience for American readers because it brings to life the state-sanctioned terror inflicted on Haitian people. The novella confronts remarkably one of the mos...more
“Anger” By Marie Vieux-Chauvet. Modern Library: 2010. $15.
Marie Vieux-Chauvet’s “Anger” is truly a testament of courage and defiance amidst one of the most oppressive and violent regimes of our time. Written in Haiti during the infamous dictatorship of Francois Duvalier (also known as “Papa Doc”), “Anger” is a rare experience for American readers because it brings to life the state-sanctioned terror inflicted on Haitian people. The novella confronts remarkably one of the mos...more
Second Haitian author. (Edwidge Danticat being my first). I'll admit ignorance when it comes to Haiti, other than people of Haiti have a hard time...with government with natural disasters..in general. so I'll assume this has a lot of historical tidbits in it that made the book that much better.
I was confused as to whom Claire killed in Love. I thought the bitch killed a cat (Yes, the bitch. Why? Because I am a cat lady, so i hate to even read abuse of cats, or any animal for that fact. Wanted t...more
I was confused as to whom Claire killed in Love. I thought the bitch killed a cat (Yes, the bitch. Why? Because I am a cat lady, so i hate to even read abuse of cats, or any animal for that fact. Wanted t...more
Not a particularly enjoyable read for its subject matter, but while reading it you can't help but feel its literary importance. Even though this is a work of fiction, the painful situations the characters of Love, Anger, Madness find themselves in were doubtless realities for many during the Duvalier regimes in Haiti. Vieux-Chauvet's novel was in itself an act of rebellion, one woman screaming out against the injustices she saw around her in the best way she knew how. It's a brave book, and thou...more
A trilogy of novellas, all powerfully written, about the devastating personal effects of racial and class politics in Haiti, its historical cycles of violence and retribution, and its brutal corruption. I much preferred the first two ("Love" and "Anger" which I'd rate 4/5) to the fevered surreality of the third ("Madness"), which felt less finished. The dark-skinned female narrator of "Love," with her frustrated desires and awakening sense of self, is particularly striking. The author, Marie Vie...more
Unbelievably rich with historic details of Haiti and it's political evolution. I enjoyed all three of the short stories in the compilation -- many readers did not enjoy the third -- "Madness". I suppose working with a population with psychiatric issues has made me more open to "madness".
The stories explained even more the psyche of the past and current residents and what it took and takes for them to survive while remaining resilient.
The sexual degradation of women and the battering of their b...more
The stories explained even more the psyche of the past and current residents and what it took and takes for them to survive while remaining resilient.
The sexual degradation of women and the battering of their b...more
Love, Anger, Madness is a beautifully written trilogy of short stories that examine life under the brutal Haitian regime in the mid-1900s. My Haitian history is fuzzy, but like most put-upon proletariats, Vieux-Chauvet is out to talk about repression, depression and other bleak aspects. But she does it in a lyrical and engrossing way.
I usually don't like short stories, too. Although, I think each story, "Love," "Anger" and "Madness," are more like individual novellas that examine a different asp...more
I usually don't like short stories, too. Although, I think each story, "Love," "Anger" and "Madness," are more like individual novellas that examine a different asp...more
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I read this because Edwidge Danticat said that this was the way to learn about Haiti and it is certainly much better than Kidder's book for that purpose. The language is lyrical. I marked three passages that I want to type up. There was not always a lot of plot, but scene and character are very vivid. Another reminder of how much history there is to learn. The personal and political are inseparable here.
I love love love this book. Vieux-Chauvet masterfully paints the complex nature of Haitian women in the oppressive Duvalier/early 20th century Haiti. At times both stark and dreary, both strange and endearing, the novellas are at once honest and true and stands as a confident affirmation of the character of perseverance in a terribly oppressive society.
I read this in the original French and found it incredibly moving. All of the major issues that shape life in contemporary Haiti are here. I highly, highly recommend it. In fact, I'm excited it's now available in English so I can possibly teach it in a world literature in translation class someday.
Mar 22, 2010
Tara Hun-Dorris
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Interestin in Haiti, Carribean, colonialism; love beautiful prose
Loved the first 2 stories in this book, which includes through unrelated trilogies about Haitian life. Couldn't really get into the third. Was reading this when the earthquake struck, and even though the author is long dead, her portrait of the desperation of Haiti seemed timely and relevant. The prose in the first story was beautiful.
This trilogy of novellas gives the reader first-hand insight into life in Haiti in post-Duvalier era(Papa Doc') as well as the rigid class and color prejudices and divisions among the society. I read this in the original french text and found some passages painful due to the knowledge that although the particular stories were fiction, they could have been based on actual occurences and are a true reflection on the country and its people at that time.
Jan 26, 2010
oriana
marked it as to-read
Wow, this sounds pretty intense.
If not for her importance as a Haitian author, I never would have finished this book. It is always difficult to judge style in translation, so I can only say that the translation is obtuse and tedious. Not recommended.
Sep 13, 2012
Amber Berry
marked it as to-read
I saw this on a bookstore sale table today, and considered buying it. I am reluctant to buy more books, however. I have another series about Haiti on my "to read" list, too. - So, welcome to my list!
I can't say I enjoyed it, but I do appreciate the fact that this piece of literature exists. The three novellas show Vieux-Chauvet's incredible talent as a writer with each being distinctly different. My favorite is the first. It is wonderful to get into Claire's head. Although supposedly set in the late 1930's, this book paints a terrible portrait of US controlled Haiti under the Papa and Baby Doc regime.
Page 156 marks the end of Love, the first novella in this trilogy about Haiti after the end of the American occupation. It's part History lesson, part glimpse into the sad life of a very strong woman. For very personal reasons, I identified very much with the character of Claire; much more, I think, that I have with any other literary character I've encountered. Told in diary entries by Claire, Love is heart-breaking in its revelation of Claire's turmoil, and eye-opening in the crude retelling o...more
These 3 novellas set in Haiti were disturbing but moving. I could not put this book down.
Lovely, haunting, tragic, and never-ending.
I generally liked the book when there was dialogue between the characters; however, there was just way too much inner angst expressed throughout the narration. I suppose I should have expected that, given the title. I found the book tedious to finish and ended up stopping with just 40 pages to go.
I thought the first 2 novellas were superb. Madness I found difficult to get through. Walking through the mind of a madman is not easy.
I am reading this one between two Edwidge Danticat books in preparation for a Caribbean theme for our October book club theme.
Really enjoyed the first novella but the second was SLOW...by the time I got to the third, I just wanted it to be over.
Reviewed by Powell's Review-a-Day
Jul 26, 2010
Jennifer
added it
I hate to give this book a low rating...I just couldn't get into it.
Beautifully written, vivid imagery.
Mar 19, 2012
Purple Iris
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
haitian-literature
Amour and Colère are my favorites.
Jun 12, 2013
Deanna
marked it as to-read
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Marie Vieux-Chauvet, a seminal writer of postoccupation Haiti, was born in Port-au-Prince in 1916 and died in New York in 1973. She is the author of five novels, including Dance on the Volcano, Fonds des Nègres, Fille d’Haiti, and Les Rapaces.
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