Introducing A Triumphant Memoir From Iconic Performance Artist Staceyann Chin: “The Other Side Of Paradise”, June 9, 2011

On Thursday June 9 at 6pm, Bookophilia is hosting celebrated poet and performance artist, Staceyann Chin.

To say that celebrated poet, performer and political activist Staceyann Chin is a force to be reckoned with, would be an understatement. 
An opinionated figure, she is beloved the world over and recognized perhaps most famously for her appearance on both Broadway, and HBO for Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam.  Her work has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, and on 60 Minutes.  She was also a guest on Oprah to discuss homosexuality in other cultures.

THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE is Chin’s long awaited chance to tell her story in writing. 

Born in Jamaica on Christmas day, 1972, Chin’s arrival into the world was unexpected, as no one even knew her mother was pregnant.  In the absence of a mother or father to look after her, Chin’s grandmother became her and her brother’s primary caretaker and biggest advocate.

Despite having their fair share of difficult times, this makeshift but loving family struggled together. But when the family’s financial challenges forced them to move into a shared household, Chin learned to repress her vivacious personality in order to blend in. Eventually, events conspire to permanently separate the three. The result? A tale of loss and family, or change and survival.

Later, as Chin came of age in a succession of homes—some dysfunctional, some welcoming and some merely adequate – she developed an unbreakable sense of self. Having always been a lively and spirited child, Chin grew into a bright, headstrong young woman, clearly on the verge of carving out a bigger existence for herself.
 
While her life has had many twists and turns, including a confrontation with the man she believes to be her father and her dangerous coming out in college, she remains courageous in the face of adversity. 

Told with grace, humor and courage, THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE is an unforgettable story of triumph against the odds.

The Author will be in Jamaica until June 13, 2011. For Interview/review requests, please contact Georgia Lee Bartley at 564-8055 or [email protected].