H. G. de Lisser
Herbert George de Lisser
West Indian literature".[1]
Early life
De Lisser was born in
Career in journalism
He started work at the
proofreader, and two years later became a reporter on the Jamaica Times
.
In 1903, De Lisser became assistant editor of the Gleaner and was editor within the year. He wrote several articles for the paper every day.
Literary career
In 1909 he published a collection of essays, In Cuba and Jamaica, and 1912 saw the publication of his second book, Twentieth Century Jamaica.[2] He went on to produce a novel or non-fiction book every year. His first work of fiction, Jane: A Story of Jamaica, is significant for being the first West Indian novel to have a central black character.[1]
Another famous novel of his, The White Witch of Rosehall (1929), is linked to a
legend of a haunting in Jamaica. De Lisser also wrote several plays.[1] In December 1920 he began publishing an annual magazine, Planters' Punch.[3]
Other activities
De Lisser devoted much time and effort to the revival of the Jamaican
Empire Press Union
.
He was appointed
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours.[4]
Selected bibliography
- In Jamaica and Cuba (1910), Kingston: Gleaner Co.
- Jane: A Story of Jamaica (1913), Kingston: Gleaner Co.
- Twentieth Century Jamaica (1913), Kingston, Jamaica Times.
- Jane's Career: A Story of Jamaica (1914), London: Methuen.
- Susan Proudleigh (1915), London: Methuen.
- Jamaica and the Great War (1917), Kingston: Gleaner Co.
- Triumphant Squalitone: A Tropical Extravaganza (1917), Kingston: Gleaner Co.
- Revenge: A Tale of Old Jamaica (1919), Kingston: Gleaner Co.
- The White Witch of Rosehall (1929), London: E. Benn. (Originally published in Planters' Punch)
- Under the Sun: A Jamaican Comedy (1937), London: E. Benn.
- Psyche (1952), London: E. Benn.
- Morgan's Daughter (1953), London: E. Benn.
- The Cup and the Lip (1956), London: E. Benn.
- The Arawak Girl (1958), Kingston: Pioneer Press.
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d Michael Hughes, "De Lisser, Herbert G.", A Companion to West Indian Literature, Collins, 1979, pp. 40–42.
- ^ a b Rhonda Cobham, "de Lisser, Herbert George", in Eugene Benson and L. W. Conolly (eds), Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English, Routledge (1994), 2nd edition 2005, p. 349.
- ^ de Lisser, Herbert G. "Planters' Punch". Digital Library of the Caribbean. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ "No. 31712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1919. p. 4.
References
- Obituary, The Times, 25 May 1944
External links
- Works by H. G. de Lisser at Project Gutenberg
- H. G. de Lisser, at Digital Library of the Caribbean
- Works by Herbert G. de Lisser at Faded Page (Canada)
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