The Department of Literatures in English, UWI, Mona will host the launch of two books on Thursday, December 9 at 6.30 pm at the Undercroft, UWI, Mona. The books are Under Basil Leaves, an anthology of poems by Dr. Paulette Ramsay, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Mona and On Friday Night, the English translation of a novel by the Afro-Ecuadoran writer, Luz Argentina Chiriboga. On Friday Night was translated from Spanish into English by Dr. Ramsay and Dr. Anne-Maria Bankay, former Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies, UWI.

Under Basil Leaves is Dr. Ramsay’s debut collection of poetry and in it she addresses the “unsanctioned” layers of experience that are often hidden behind social codes and cloaks of respectability. Their layered wit is one of the most engaging features of these poems that range over diverse subjects – childhood memories, politics, religion, women’s concerns, life and death, and intimate relationships. Ramsay’s ironic, often hilarious vision illuminates everyday relationships and experiences from fresh perspectives that will delight readers. Readers will equally enjoy the range of voices, from folk to polemic, that adds drama to much of the collection.

Dr. Ramsay is also the author of the novel, Aunt Jen and has published short stories and poems in BIM, the Caribbean Journal of the Arts and the Caribbean Journal of Education. Dr. Ramsay also has a strong record of academic writing and publishing.

Dr. Bankay, now retired from the Department of Educational Studies, is an established author of textbooks for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). She has written short stories and several articles on Hispanic Literature in academic journals and has translated literary works from Spanish into English. Most recently she published a collection of stories for children about life in rural Jamaica.

The university community and the public are invited to attend. Copies of both books will be available for sale at the Launch.