The full title of this article by Fayola K J Fraser (Trinidad and Tobago Guardian) is “BookofCinz puts the spotlight on our little islands … amplifying Caribbean voices through literature.” [Also see previous post Caribbean-bookstagrammers-booktubers-and-bookbloggers. Thanks, Peter!]

A Jamaican woman, living in Trinidad, but a citizen of the world, Cindy Allman, better known as “BookofCinz” is living her passion, fuelled by her mission of getting people to read, read more, read widely and read Caribbean.

With over 150,000 followers across social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, Allman has amassed a devoted following, who either lap up her mostly Caribbean book recommendations or follow her on her travels across the globe.

Allman’s personality and enthusiasm for life and literature are infectious, and she has successfully carved a niche for herself that has turned her into a regionally recognised social media figure, proving that literature and travel remain powerful tools of connection and cultural exchange.

Growing up in the “country” in Stony Hill, St Andrew, Jamaica, with a river in her backyard, Allman was raised in what he describes as a “low-income” household but loved experiencing the world through her books. “I grew up seeing my mother reading,” she remembers. “And my father worked at Sangsters Bookstore in Jamaica, so he always brought me books.”

This love for reading ignited in her from this young age, she recalled reading every book she could get her hands on, even reading ahead all the books on her school term booklist during her summer vacation when she was fiending for reads. “I was far too young to be reading Danielle Steele at 12,” she laughs. “But whatever there was to read, I read it.” Upon attending secondary school and studying Literature, she began developing a keen interest in Caribbean Literature. On the syllabus throughout her high school career, books like The Schoolmaster (Earl Lovelace), Miguel Street (V S Naipaul), Escape To Last Man Peak (Jean D’Costa) and Green Days By The River (Michael Anthony), were especially poignant, bringing her a thrilling sense of familiarity, by seeing places and spaces that mirrored her lived environment come alive on the pages.

These novels offered her a connection to her cultural identity and heritage, as each author brought the vibrancy and complexity of our region to the forefront, allowing her to explore themes of community and resilience against a vividly painted tapestry of Caribbean life. Allman migrated to T&T from Jamaica to pursue her career in marketing at an international firm ten years ago. In 2018, she decided to channel her passion for reading into a personal project, creating an Instagram page to track all the books she had read, and to share books she was enjoying with anyone who decided to follow.

Driven by her commitment to personal development and community, she thought it would be an accountability tool for herself, to see how many books she could read in a year, and how she could find other readers across the world. She also decided to create a book club, initially in T&T, for people to gather once per month and discuss a book she selected. “My first book club meeting was six years ago. I still remember it, I felt to vomit from nerves,” she laughs, remembering that she even asked a friend to come in case nobody else showed up.

Nine people came to her first book club. Today, six years later, she has hosted numerous book clubs, with a total of 1,000 plus individual book clubbers, and an average of 70-100 people joining virtually each month. Her book club has become a thriving community of readers and a space for literature lovers to come together and enrich their lives through reading. In the face of allegations that people don’t read anymore, or that social media has completely shattered the human ability to read for fun, Allman scoffs. “People love reading, they just haven’t found the right book for them.”

She suggested that adults who are trying to kindle their reading habits start with a collection of short stories, as “it’s like a bag of chocolate–you might not like every single one, but you’ll find some that you like.” Encouraging people who like reading but find it difficult to stay focused, she gives her personal tip, “put your phone on the other side of the room, and just read.”

For Allman, not only is reading her vehicle to understanding and interpreting the world, people and things, but it is her time to pause in the chaos of the fast-paced society in which we live.

In the past few years, BookofCinz has exploded, and Allman is one of the most sought-after readers in the global literary community. Her influence has transcended borders, and she has been invited to prestigious literary festivals across the world, including the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica, BVI Lit Fest in the British Virgin Islands, and the Ake Arts and Book Festival in Lagos, Nigeria.

Her book club has attracted authors worldwide, providing a platform for meaningful engagement between readers and writers. One of her guest authors at her book club was the author of the globally acclaimed and awarded, “How To Say Babylon”, Safiya Sinclair, who chatted with Allman’s readers for over two-and-a-half hours.

Despite her widespread recognition and accolades, including being written into the book acknowledgements of Trinidadian authors Breanne McIvor and Celeste Mohammed, Allman finds her greatest joy in the messages from friends and followers, inspired by her book recommendations.

This personal connection and the impact of her recommendations highlight the profound influence she has on promoting Caribbean literature, fostering a global community of engaged and enthusiastic readers. [. . .]

For full article, see https://www.guardian.co.tt/article/bookofcinz-puts-the-spotlight-on-our-little-islands-6.2.2022400.0960d869d5