The Dragon Can't Dance

Distinguished Trinidadian novelist Lovelace writes fiction as syncopated, sinuous, and irresistible as the calypso music that punctuates the lives of his poor but proud characters. Here, as he did in the award-winning Salt , Lovelace peers beneath the rigid structure of island society into the desiring hearts of men and women struggling for recognition, respect, and love. Carnival season has just begun in Calvary Hill, a Port of Spain shantytown, and Miss Cleothilda, the carnival queen, and Aldrick, the dragon king, try to concentrate on creating their elaborate costumes, but both are distracted by a young beauty named Sylvia. The queen senses a rival, and Aldrick, famous for his avoidance of work and marriage, feels love coming on. Conflict also drives Fisheye, a warrior without a cause whose restlessness infects his fellow drummers to the point that their steel bands become veritable street gangs, and Pariag, the only Indian on the Hill and the most ambitious and innocent of the lot. As Lovelace masterfully choreographs the dance of each of his finely drawn characters, he reveals the conundrums not only of Caribbean life but of the human condition itself.

Praise for the Book: 
"Powerful...Memorable." — The Chicago Tribune

"The Dragon Can't Dance is a wonderful work filled with depth, insight, and truth. While the story is grounded in the milieu of Trinidad, its message is universal and timeless." -— Multicultural Review

About the Author: 
Earl Lovelace is the author of five novels, including Salt; A Brief Conversion and Other Stories; and many plays and essays. He lives in his native Trinidad and is currently on the faculty of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. 

Hardcover /$15.00 (Can $16.50) / ISBN 978-0-89255-272-6 / 240 pages / Fiction