Seven dreams of Elmira is a magical, erotic story of Creole island culture. Based on interviews and an imagination full of insight, Chamoisea's tongue-in-cheek tale tells the story of the everyday lives of workers at an old rum distillery in Martinique. There, aided by the alcoholic fumes, they indulge in the benificient magic of the sacred, bawdy Elmira, the strange vision that appears to only the select few. Describing many island social groups, the book explores the themes of slavery and economic exploitation specific to postcolonial societies, but also universally resonant.

By Patrick Chamoiseau

Novel, Published by Zoland Books