Within the English-speaking Caribbean, Edward Kamau Brathwaite is widely regarded as the most important West Indian poet, though his work is not so well known abroad as that of Derek Walcott. Brathwaite's reputation rests on several volumes of verse, including two trilogies; on his electrifying performances of his own work; and on his charismatic presence: like Pablo Neruda or Nicolás Guillén, he is often perceived as the voice of his region's reflections about itself. At the same time, he has pursued an impressive academic career of scholarship (both historical and literary/historical). His essays on history and culture, his commentaries and chronicles of West Indian life, and his extensive writing on other Caribbean authors merit attention in their own right. They are also particularly important for the understanding of his poetry, whose central metaphors the essays often provide or explicate.

Born on 11 May 1930 and...