In Search of Eden: Essays on Dominican History

In Search of Eden is a fascinating and up to date (2002) history of Dominica; the book portrays a small Caribbean state's passage from colonial rule to sovereign nation. The 667 page book by two Dominican lawyers, Irving W. Andre and Gabriel J. Christian, who were themselves involved in the island's independence movement explores the history and progress of the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica. An English speaking social democracy in the Eastern Caribbean, Dominica is peopled mostly by the descendants of the Carib people who Columbus met in his 1493 visit to the island, Africans who had fought enslavement and gained their freedom, along with others descended from French and English settlers. In recent times there have been an influx of Chinese, along with Haitians and Dominicans seeking a better life for themselves. The island is the most thickly forested and well watered island in the Caribbean and is a leader in environmental conservation and eco-tourism. Due to a well maintained system of national parks, the island has preserved a pristine environment which makes it very attractive to those who seek peace and quiet amidst nature's splendor. Dominica, considered the Nature Island of the Caribbean, due to its pristine rain forest, has had a fascinating history. From Columbus' 1493 encounter with the island, the early resistance of its indigenous Carib peoples, and the liberation struggles of enslaved Africans, the island continues to face challenges as it navigates towards some sense of nationhood. In recent times, the island has had to fend off South African subversion and an invasion attempt by Ku Klux Klan members. Often confused with its bigger Caribbean neighbour, the Dominican Republic, Dominica's people are quietly engaged in addressing the problem of development peculiar to mini states. The essays in this work focus on the issues of political independence, national identity, environmental protection and local literature, alongside the core theoretical issues which confront all small developing countries today.