Earl Lovelace: A Chronology

A version of this chronology was first published in Earl Lovelace: Growing in the Dark (Selected Essays), edited by Funso Aiyejina (Lexicon Trinidad Ltd., 2003). It is reproduced here with his permission with updates added by the editors of Anthurium.

Date of Birth: July 13, 1935; Toco, Trinidad.

1940-1947: Scarborough Methodist Primary School, Scarborough, Tobago.

1948: Nelson Street Boys, R.C., Port of Spain, Trinidad.

1948-1953: Ideal High School, Port of Spain, Trinidad; Cambridge School Certificate.

1953-1954: Proof Reader, Trinidad Guardian.

1954-1956: Field Assistant, Department of Forestry, Trinidad and Tobago.

1956-1966: Agricultural Assistant, Ministry of Agriculture, Trinidad and Tobago.

1961-1962: Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, Centeno, Trinidad; Diploma in Forestry.

1962: “Fools”—short story published in Frog Hopper, the magazine of the students of Eastern Caribbean Farm Institute, May 1962.

1962: The New Boss performed in Rio Claro, Trinidad; remounted 1964.

1964: British Petroleum Independence Literary Award for the manuscript of While Gods Are Falling (an award of $5,000 for best novel from Trinidad and Tobago nationals).

1965: “Ash Wednesday,” “Stickfighter,” and “Tell It To Evelyn”—short stories in Trinidad Guardian.

1965: While Gods Are Falling, London: Collins. (Chicago: Regnery, 1966; London: Longmans, 1984.)

1966: “Error in the Dark”—short story in We The People, ed. CLR James, Trinidad; “Plain Talk”—short story in Voices, ed. Clifford Sealy, Trinidad.

1966: Pegasus Literary Award for outstanding contribution to the Arts in Trinidad and Tobago.

1966-1967: Howard University, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

1967-1969: Trinidad and Tobago Express Newspaper. Editorial Writer, Columnist, and Reviewer.

1968: The Schoolmaster, London: Collins. (Chicago: Regnery, 1968; London: Heinemann, 1978, 1984; London: Faber and Faber, 1998.)

1970: “The Wine of Astonishment”—Extract in Voices, ed. Clifford Sealy, Trinidad.

1971: House of Flowers (screen play) for Belafonte Enterprises, New York.

1971-1973: Lecturer (English Composition, Creative Writing, and Multidisciplinary Curriculum Development), University of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

1973-1974: Visiting Novelist, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

1974: M.A.; Department of Writing Seminars, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

1974: “The Wine of Astonishment”—Extract in Giant Talk (Random House, New York).

1976: “To Be Dragon and Man”—Extract from The Dragon Can’t Dance in Carnival 1976 (Key Publications, Trinidad).

1976: My Name is Village (musical drama) performed; won Best Play Award and Best Music Award in the Prime Minister’s Best Village Folk Concert.

1976: “The Village Girls”—short story in Caribbean Tempo, Trinidad.

1977: Tutor (English Literature), Department of Extra Mural, The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

1977: Pierrot Grinnard (musical drama) performed, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

1978: Jestinas Calypso performed, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad; Jamaica; and Guyana.

1978: Dramatized readings from The Dragon Can’t Dance, Trinidad.

1979-1985: Lecturer, Department of English, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tabago.

1979: The Dragon Can’t Dance, London: Andre Deutsch. (London: Longmans, 1981, 1984, 1986; London: Faber and Faber, 1998; New York: Persea, 1998, 2003; translated into German, 1984; French, 1984; and Dutch, 1984.)

1980: The Nett’ Hardware Store performed, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; performed, London, 1987.

1980: Guggenheim Fellowship; Visitor to International Writing Program, University of Iowa.

1981: Dramatized readings from The Dragon Can’t Dance, CARIFESTA, Barbados.

1981: Lecturer and participant in International Seminar Program on Eastern Virginia International Consortium.

1981: “Shoemaker Arnold” in Best West Indian Stories, ed. Kenneth Ramchand (London: Nelson).

1982: The Wine of Astonishment (London: Andre Deutsch, 1982; London: Heinemann, 1983; New York: Aventura, 1984).

1984: “Those Heavy Cakes”—short story in Trinidad and Tobago Review.

1984: The Dragon Can’t Dance (adapted from the novel)—developed at Eugene O’Neill’s Playwriting Conference; first produced in Trinidad, 1986; produced at Stratford East, London. 1990; produced at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, 1998; produced on radio, BBC-1 Classic Literature, 1999; Trinidad and Tobago Theatre Workshop, 2005.

1984: Jestina’s Calypso and Other Plays, London: Heinemann.

1985: Jestina’s Calypso voted the most original play at the Trinidad and Tobago Drama Festival.

1986: “Those Heavy Cakes,” Facing the Sea: A New Anthology from the Caribbean Region for Secondary Schools (London: Longman).

1987: The Wine of Astonishment (adapted from the novel), performed in Port of Spain, Trinidad; Barbados.

1988: A Brief Conversion and Other Stories (London: Heinemann, 2004; New York: Persea Books, 2003).

1988: Awarded Chaconia Gold Medal by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

1989: “FIeurs,” Modern West Indian Stories (London: Faber and Faber).

1989: The Reign of Anancy, performed, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

1989: “The Dragon Can’t Dance,” Black Plays: Two (London: Methuen).

1991: Lovelace visits Africa.

1995: “The Gambler’s Funeral,” BBC Radio, London.

1995: Director, Fiction Workshop, Caribbean Writer’s Summer Institute, University of Miami, Coral Gables.

1995-1996: Writer-in-Residence, London Arts Board.

1996: Salt (London: Faber and Faber; New York: Persea Books, Inc., 1997, 1998; New York: Norton, 2004).

1996-1997: Visiting Professor in the Africana Studies Department, Wellesley College, Massachusetts, USA.

1997: Best Book, Commonwealth Writers Prize for Salt.

1997: Crawfie the Crapaud (children’s story) (London: Longman).

1998: “A Brief Conversion,” Anthology of West Indian Writing (London: Penguin).

1998: “The Gambler’s Funeral,” New Writing 7 (London: Vintage Press).

1999-2004: Distinguished Novelist, Department of English, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington.

2002: Awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters by The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

2003: Growing in the Dark (Selected Essays). Edited by Funso Aiyejina (Trinidad: Lexicon Trinidad).

2003: “Calypso and the Bacchanal Connection.” Anthurium 3.2 (2005).

2004: Introduction to Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad by Stefan Falke. Preface by Geoffrey Holder. (New York: Pointed Leaf Press).

2004: Film. Joebell and America. Co-written and directed by Asha Lovelace. Trinidad: Caribbean Communications Network. Premiered TV6, Trinidad.

2005: Honored. Earl Lovelace 70th Birthday Conference and Celebrations. University of the West Indies, Trinidad, July 2005.

2005: Appointed to the Board of Governors, Trinidad and Tobago University.