The Literary Evening has been gaining quite a reputation for a good evening of entertainment and fulfilling readings from Guyanese and other Caribbean writers. This year's Literary Evening, held at Scott-Westney House on February 22nd, 2002, was no exception.

Congratulations are due to Lester Fernandes who organized a fine collection of readers and subjects, and as an added bonus provided a fine array of Guyanese style finger-foods during the interlude.

The evening got off to a fine start with a learned exposition of the book "Crowns of Glory, Tears of Blood -- The Demerara Slave Rebellion of 1823", which was written by Brazilian author Emelia DaCosta.

Most of us do have some knowledge of Rev. John Smith, an early missionary to Guyana, who was involved in this rebellion, but this book speaks of the inhumanity and severe repression which led up to this tragic series of events. This was a chilling reminder of what can result from man's inhumanity to man.

Cecil Prashad who took us through the thought provoking contents of this book has our profound thanks. Please come again and continue this exercise.

Trev Sue-A-Quan's "Cane Reapers -- Chinese Indentured Immigrants in Guyana", was then reviewed by Stanley Chan Choong. The book is a compilation of numerous reports taken from official reports by Government officials.

In the main information regarding the movement of Chinese nationals from China to Guyana. It was more often than not a perilous voyage from China to Guyana, wherein many lives were lost. It also gives some answers with regard to how some names were developed, and the attendant relationships. Anyone interested in the actual life of the Chinese Immigrants should give this book a thorough reading. Most interesting.

Horace Henriques read us some excerpts from his soon-to-be-published novel "Jacob's House."I believe that Horace told us that this is an autobiographical or partly autobiographical novel, I hope some of the relatives he referred to are either dead or do not read this book. It was so hilarious that there were times when we virtually had to slow him down.

A fantastic glimpse behind the curtain of the growing pains of a boy of Portuguese-descent . We will be waiting breathlessly for the finished copy. Horace has promised to come again.

Aggrey King read short stories by Wilson Harris and Ras Michael which had been published in the Guyanese literary "Kyk-Over-Al." The Harris story was an evocative piece on life in a certain time and place in Guyana. We left this reading saying, to ourselves, Well Harris can be understood.