Giving Good Ghost

By Andy Gross

What’s it like to live and work on a Caribbean island? Paradise, right? Think again. Through Andy Gross’ collection of elegant essays and biting journal entries we glimpse the other side of paradise.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1930859015
• ISBN13: 9781930859012
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Poison Vine Books
• Length: 237 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.5" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

tears of rage

I have never been to the Caribbean, but this book taught me a lot. I think the author is brave to have exposed so much about himself and his surroundings. I somehow think the author must cry tears of rage. It was a very moving and disturbing book.

big problem, mon

I think this is the best thing ever written about St. Maarten. The fact that it was written by such an outsider makes it even more moving. What Mr. Gross is saying, is that "there are big problems in paradise mon" and people better take notice. This is a very troubling book.

a nice place to visit but...

a great scathing book. The author has a lot to say and does it with great pain and humor. A must read for anyone interested in St. Maarten and issues like race, alienation and journalism.

A triumph of language

Giving Good Ghost is a remarkable book. It is not only a very acute look at life on a small corrupt island, but also a vicious and very painful look at how one person tries to deal with debilitating depression and his own vulnerability in what can be best described as a decidedly unfriendly island. The writing is great and the author is far harder on himself than anyone else. The poems that are intersperesed throughout the book are intense and speak to a real sense of isolation and desire for beauty. This is quite a book and hopefully, it will wake up even the most sleepy St. Maartener and St. Maarten visitor from their respective denial. The writer delivers the goods.

PROSE IS TERSE AND PIQUANT!

This collection of writings opened my eyes about what life would be like on St. Maarten. Nothing like what I imagined. Gross covers it all. It's both sad and funny.