I recently came across information at Barnes and Noble that I couldn’t find at my local library or any library for that matter because the content was so old and out of date. So when I requested the information be sent to me after ordering it from BN, I asked myself, “Dare I pick up where Langston Hughes left off? And what lead to the downfall of Emperor Jean Jacques Dessalines?”
And the books that answered both my questions are titled Dessalines, a Dramatic Tale and Christophe; a Tragedy in Prose of Imperial Haiti both written by William Edgar Easton between the years of 1893- 1911 and have been republished for Haitian history buffs like myself to enjoy!
I question the academic school system itinerary with why isn’t Haitian History taught when the Lousiana Purchase history is? And thanks to Barnes and Noble I get to educated myself on what was never taught to me by my peers.
Both books mentioned above are plays but have speculations that insight the reality of what happened to The Founding Father’s of Haiti. Dessalines, a Dramatic Tale was very prolific and representation of what people think and know about Jean-Jacques Dessalines, he was a brave, handsome warrior who finished what Toussaint L’Ouverture started by defeating the French, unknowingly made a woman and sister to Andre Rigaud fall in love with him and the people joyously made General Jean-Jacques Dessalines Emperor of Haiti.
What I really enjoyed most about William E. Easton writing was his preface about how he too suffered by the hatred in this world projected onto his brothers of the Negro race and includes lectures, letters, and tributes from influential people, which include Wendell Phillips, Norris Wright Cuney, Abbe Gregoire, & Fredrick Douglas that focus on the Haitien Heroism.
In William Edgar Easton play Christophe: A Tragedy In Prose Of Imperial Haiti was more my speed it was like reading about Jesus vengeance against the people of Westeros on Game of Thrones. In the play, Henri Christophe plotted the murder against Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines because he wasn’t happy with his new position in Dessalines household, so he weaned JJD current mistress ex-lover to assassinate him on false claims of pretense.
Once the murder is complete Henri Christophe makes himself King , but the glory is short lived as the conscience of the killer wants vengeance for his crimes against himself and his beloved Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
At the end of this book, it holds rare prints of the Founding Father’s of Haiti and an excerpt from the memoir titled, “An Hour With Harriet Tubman” that features a photocopy picture of her at 100 years old.
“Vive La Republique D’ Haiti” with the continuously updated database from Barnes and Noble!
Overall, here are my 10 reasons for why I’m loving Barnes and Noble more and more over my Library.
- You are allowed to talk in the establishment
- They serve refreshments and soon it will include alcoholic beverages
- It’s open on Sundays
- You get unlimited internet access w/o having to sign up for a membership
- They host weekly FREE events always open to the public called Pop Culture
- Meet the author of your favorite book(s) when they do store signing
- Actors portraying characters from featured novels often do press tours at BN
- It’s a great place to socialize
- The lounging area is so comfortable that you won’t want to leave
- It carries the historical literature that I couldn’t find at the library
