The Montserrat-focused publication “Politicalypso” was launched on Amazon platforms on Monday, October 21, 2024. The book is a collaboration between two
Montserrat natives – journalist Edwin Martin, who is based in Florida, and Francelise White, a Montserrat civil servant, historian and former Festival Queen. Ms. White, who worked for six years in the Legislature Department of the Government of Montserrat, and has conducted extensive research on Montserrat’s political history, approached Martin with the idea for the book in February.
“It was a great collaboration between Francelise and myself,” Martin said. “With her experience as a Montserrat political expert and mine as a calypso historian, it was a perfect fit.”
The book chronicles the relationship between politics and calypso in Montserrat over six decades. Whether through social commentary or even simple jingles, calypso has served as the soundtrack for politics in Montserrat, equally praising and pounding politicians when necessary.
The book analyzes 25 notable “political” songs in Montserrat history and also has a section on songs that have been banned on the radio.
“This book is a labour of love, and I believe it will resonate with readers far and wide,” White said.
The book can be purchased on Amazon in Paperback or Kindle format. The official Montserrat launch will take place during the Alliouagana Festival of the Word on November 14-17, 2024.
Copies will be available for sale during the authors’ launch Saturday, November 16 at the Montserrat Cultural Center.
