Ramabai Espinet
Ramabai Espinet is an Indo-Trinidadian poet, novelist, essayist, and critic from Trinidad and Tobago. Espinet was born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. She attended York University in Toronto, Canada before earning a Ph.D. at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. She currently teaches English at Seneca College. Her writings on Euro-Creole women are influenced by works by Jean Rhys and Phyllis Shand Allfrey. Most of Espinet's works relate to her Indo-Caribbean heritage. Sister Vision Press published her first four works in Toronto, Canada.
Influence
Espinet has stated that she desires to illustrate the experiences of Indo-Caribbeans and highlight the effects of alcoholism and abuse on West Indian women. West Indians have said that the book The Swinging Bridge gives them values, articulates their experiences, and contains "language for the healing". Although Espinet talks specifically about San Fernandians, Indo-Caribbeans have noted that the book is universal and important because it tells the stories of their youth and represents their experiences for the larger society.Works about Espinet
- "Trini-Canadian author launches debut novel Race and passion in Swinging Bridge," by Marcia Henville in Caribbean Voice, 13 March 2005.
- in College Quarterly 7.1.
- Coming Home. A one-hour film-documentary that follows Ramabai Espinet as she returns to her hometown of San Fernando, Trinidad, in order to launch her novel The Swinging Bridge. What begins as a simple nostalgic journey becomes a fascinating exploration of a brilliant writer's imagination.