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Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection
Interview with Edwidge Danticat
Miami, FL, August 26, 2013
Interview ASM0085000041
Interviewed by Lucrèce Louisdhon-Louinis
Recorded by Javier Carrion
Outline by Lucrèce Louisdhon-Louinis and Ben Morris
Length: 01:23:18
Interview with Edwidge Danticat, a well-known Haitian-American writer. Danticat was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and lived there with her aunt before joining parents in Brooklyn, New York at age 12. She wrote her first short story while still living in Haiti, and two years after moving to New York, she published her first story in English, “A Haitian-American Christmas: Crémace and Creole Theater.” She earned a B.A. in French literature from Barnard College and an M.A. in creative writing at Brown University, where she wrote her thesis Breath, Eyes, Memory, a novel about four generations of Haitian women that was published in 1994. In 1996, she published Krik? Krak!, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and became an Oprah Book Club selection. Danticat has won numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship and a Langston Hughes medal. Her writings deal with Haiti, personal stories, immigration, loss, suffering, and contrasting cultures, and her well-known works include novels, short stories, essays, and works for young adults. In addition to the books listed above, some of her other well-known works include The Farming of Bones (1998), The Dew Breaker (2004), and Brother, I’m Dying (2007), and Claire of the Sea Light (2013).
This interview forms part of the Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections.
This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor.
Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu. Edwidge Danticat 2
August 26, 2013
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
− 00:00:13: Introduction
− 00:00:32: We’ll get started with your childhood – your birthplace, a little bit about yourself as a child.
− 00:03:41: What part of Haiti did you go to in the country?
− 00:05:28: What school did you attend in Port-au-Prince?
− 00:08:17: Who would you say was the most influential person to you as a child?
− 00:13:41: Being a writer and lover of literature, you must have loved reading as a child, so who fostered that love of reading? How early did you start to think about being a writer and putting things on paper?
− 00:16:44: So that’s how you knew you wanted to be a writer?
− 00:20:32: As a teen though, when you first arrived in New York, you had some challenges adapting to the environment. Would you like to share these? I think it’s beneficial for the audience to know that it’s OK to have challenges. But through your story, would you tell us more about that? Writing also for the New Youth Connections, and the challenges of being 12 in a new country, and through that process of getting published. How did your writing help you through that?
− 00:29:01: So you attended Barnard College and Brown University. What were your areas of studies? Tell us about these experiences.
− 00:38:30: You have such powerful prose. The images that you invoke in those books are so vivid. Any of your books that I start, I have to stop, and take a deep breath to continue. They really bring back memories and vivid images… Being Haitian and that experience, those are the themes that go into your books. For the sake of the archive, can you talk about what are the themes of your books? How do you see yourself promoting, or making people aware, that this culture has value?
− 00:46:32: From my librarian heart, and working with children and teens, I know there are a couple of books that you have reaching towards those two groups. Would you like to describe them for the audience?
Edwidge Danticat 3
August 26, 2013
− 00:55:43: Claire of the Sea Light is being released tomorrow. Would you be able to tell us a little bit about the story?
− 00:59:35: So that was one of my questions, because you’re described as one of the most talented young authors in the United States… the best Haitian-American voice and so many titles for one person, who as you said just wanted to tell her story. How do you deal with that pressure?
− 01:09:04: The other aspect of your life that most people may not even know is that you are a mother. You have children. You have a family, and I’m sure you’ve very much involved [with them]. That brings in another level of hard work to keep everything balanced. Would you like to share anything about that?
− 01:12:58: So we’re going to close very shortly. But out of all of your books… we know that there’s always a favorite somewhere in there. Out of all of your books, which one is your favorite?
− 01:15:31: So this book [Brother I’m Dying] would be required reading for every member of the family?
− 01:17:30: I wouldn’t do it justice if I didn’t ask you to talk about some of the prestigious awards that you have received for your books, only because they’re important, in the sense that they put the stories that you write on a level that others can see how it is they impact society. And if gets recognized, you’re probably not into the recognition itself, but it does put it at a level where people can, for example, the university will choose it to be a reader for their classes. So, how would you like to talk about that a little bit? Some of the major awards that your books have received.
− 01:21:04 Is there anything you want to add? Is there anything whoever’s watching this should know?
− 01:23:18: END OF INTERVIEW
Object Description
Description
| Title | Interview Outline |
| Object ID | asm0085000041 |
| Digital ID | asm0085000041 |
| Full Text | Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection Interview with Edwidge Danticat Miami, FL, August 26, 2013 Interview ASM0085000041 Interviewed by Lucrèce Louisdhon-Louinis Recorded by Javier Carrion Outline by Lucrèce Louisdhon-Louinis and Ben Morris Length: 01:23:18 Interview with Edwidge Danticat, a well-known Haitian-American writer. Danticat was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and lived there with her aunt before joining parents in Brooklyn, New York at age 12. She wrote her first short story while still living in Haiti, and two years after moving to New York, she published her first story in English, “A Haitian-American Christmas: Crémace and Creole Theater.” She earned a B.A. in French literature from Barnard College and an M.A. in creative writing at Brown University, where she wrote her thesis Breath, Eyes, Memory, a novel about four generations of Haitian women that was published in 1994. In 1996, she published Krik? Krak!, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and became an Oprah Book Club selection. Danticat has won numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship and a Langston Hughes medal. Her writings deal with Haiti, personal stories, immigration, loss, suffering, and contrasting cultures, and her well-known works include novels, short stories, essays, and works for young adults. In addition to the books listed above, some of her other well-known works include The Farming of Bones (1998), The Dew Breaker (2004), and Brother, I’m Dying (2007), and Claire of the Sea Light (2013). This interview forms part of the Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor. Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu. Edwidge Danticat 2 August 26, 2013 INTERVIEW OUTLINE − 00:00:13: Introduction − 00:00:32: We’ll get started with your childhood – your birthplace, a little bit about yourself as a child. − 00:03:41: What part of Haiti did you go to in the country? − 00:05:28: What school did you attend in Port-au-Prince? − 00:08:17: Who would you say was the most influential person to you as a child? − 00:13:41: Being a writer and lover of literature, you must have loved reading as a child, so who fostered that love of reading? How early did you start to think about being a writer and putting things on paper? − 00:16:44: So that’s how you knew you wanted to be a writer? − 00:20:32: As a teen though, when you first arrived in New York, you had some challenges adapting to the environment. Would you like to share these? I think it’s beneficial for the audience to know that it’s OK to have challenges. But through your story, would you tell us more about that? Writing also for the New Youth Connections, and the challenges of being 12 in a new country, and through that process of getting published. How did your writing help you through that? − 00:29:01: So you attended Barnard College and Brown University. What were your areas of studies? Tell us about these experiences. − 00:38:30: You have such powerful prose. The images that you invoke in those books are so vivid. Any of your books that I start, I have to stop, and take a deep breath to continue. They really bring back memories and vivid images… Being Haitian and that experience, those are the themes that go into your books. For the sake of the archive, can you talk about what are the themes of your books? How do you see yourself promoting, or making people aware, that this culture has value? − 00:46:32: From my librarian heart, and working with children and teens, I know there are a couple of books that you have reaching towards those two groups. Would you like to describe them for the audience? Edwidge Danticat 3 August 26, 2013 − 00:55:43: Claire of the Sea Light is being released tomorrow. Would you be able to tell us a little bit about the story? − 00:59:35: So that was one of my questions, because you’re described as one of the most talented young authors in the United States… the best Haitian-American voice and so many titles for one person, who as you said just wanted to tell her story. How do you deal with that pressure? − 01:09:04: The other aspect of your life that most people may not even know is that you are a mother. You have children. You have a family, and I’m sure you’ve very much involved [with them]. That brings in another level of hard work to keep everything balanced. Would you like to share anything about that? − 01:12:58: So we’re going to close very shortly. But out of all of your books… we know that there’s always a favorite somewhere in there. Out of all of your books, which one is your favorite? − 01:15:31: So this book [Brother I’m Dying] would be required reading for every member of the family? − 01:17:30: I wouldn’t do it justice if I didn’t ask you to talk about some of the prestigious awards that you have received for your books, only because they’re important, in the sense that they put the stories that you write on a level that others can see how it is they impact society. And if gets recognized, you’re probably not into the recognition itself, but it does put it at a level where people can, for example, the university will choose it to be a reader for their classes. So, how would you like to talk about that a little bit? Some of the major awards that your books have received. − 01:21:04 Is there anything you want to add? Is there anything whoever’s watching this should know? − 01:23:18: END OF INTERVIEW |
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| Format | application/pdf |
| Archive | asm0085000041.pdf |
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