Contents
George Lamming
Writing In the Castle of My Skin and examining Caribbean identity after colonialism.
In the Castle of My Skin · The Emigrants
- Born
- 8 June 1927
- Birthplace
- Carrington Village, Barbados
- Died
- 4 June 2022
More people
George Lamming
Barbadian novelist and essayist whose work explores migration, language and the struggle to define a postcolonial society.
Early life
Barbadian childhood
Grew up in Barbados and attended Combermere School on a scholarship.
Literary encouragement
Teacher and editor Frank Collymore encouraged his writing.
Career
- 1946–1950
Teaching
Worked in Trinidad before moving to Britain.
- 1950s–1970s
Novels and essays
Published fiction and criticism while participating in Caribbean literary broadcasting.
- Later career
Lectures and teaching
Taught and lectured internationally while remaining engaged with Caribbean public life.
Selected work
In the Castle of My Skin
A coming-of-age novel set amid colonial society in Barbados.
The Emigrants
Follows Caribbean migrants travelling to and settling in Britain.
The Pleasures of Exile
Essays examining colonialism, language and the writer’s position.
Beyond work
Regional engagement
Supported Caribbean cultural and political self-determination.
Literary networks
Contributed to Bim and the BBC’s Caribbean Voices, sharing a wider Caribbean literary community.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Carl Van Vechten. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
