Jamaica Kincaid

Date of Birth: May 25, 1949

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Biography

Jamaica Kincaid, born Elaine Cynthia Potter Richardson, is an acclaimed Antiguan-American novelist, essayist, and gardener. She was born on May 25, 1949, in St. John’s, Antigua. Kincaid moved to the United States at the age of 16 to work as an au pair. She later studied photography at the New School for Social Research and attended Franconia College in New Hampshire. Kincaid’s literary career began in the 1970s when she started writing for The New Yorker magazine. She published her first book, “At the Bottom of the River,” in 1983, a collection of short stories that won the Morton Dauwen Zabel Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her subsequent novels, including “Annie John,” “Lucy,” and “The Autobiography of My Mother,” have garnered critical acclaim for their lyrical prose and exploration of themes such as colonialism, identity, and mother-daughter relationships. Kincaid has taught creative writing at Harvard University and Claremont McKenna College. Her work continues to be influential in the literary community, and she remains an important voice in contemporary literature.

5 Interesting Facts about Jamaica Kincaid

1. Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Cynthia Potter Richardson but changed her name when she started writing.

2. She has been a staff writer for The New Yorker, where she was known for her “Talk of the Town” column.

3. Kincaid’s novel “Annie John” is often used in academic courses focusing on postcolonial literature.

4. She is an avid gardener and has written several works on the subject, including “My Garden (Book).”

5. Kincaid has received honorary degrees from several institutions, including Williams College and Amherst College.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jamaica Kincaid

1. “The inevitable is no less a shock just because it is inevitable.”

2. “One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over. We must not remember that Daniel Webster got drunk but only remember that he was a splendid constitutional lawyer. We must forget that George Washington was a slave owner… and simply remember the things we regard as creditable and inspiring.”

3. “Express everything you like. No word can hurt you.”

4. “I wish that I could love someone so much that I would die from it.”

5. “There is a world of difference between being a reality and being an actual experience.”