A Small Place

A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid is a work of creative nonfiction originally published in 1988. Kincaid shares memories of her home country, Antigua, both while it was under colonial rule and self-governance. She illustrates how life has and hasn’t changed for Antiguan citizens because of government corruption, the legacies of slavery, and the preoccupation with tourism over public welfare. Though the book won no awards, Kincaid has won a plethora of awards for her other writings. The book received polarizing reviews for its frank depiction of Antiguan life and its blunt anger toward English colonizers and tourists. After its publication, Kincaid was unofficially banned from Antigua for five years because of the text’s depiction of government corruption.

This guide follows the Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition paperback published in 2000.

Plot Summary

A Small Place is roughly divided into four sections, as Kincaid explores contemporary life in Antigua and the island’s history. Opening the text, Kincaid places the reader in the shoes of a tourist on holiday in Antigua. The tourist (“you”) sees the island’s deteriorating infrastructure but refuses to inquire into the reasons for it because of selfish concern with personal enjoyment. Antiguans and their daily struggles with poverty and government corruption are invisible to tourists, who only interact briefly with the island.