Description

Description: A fantastic group of one hundred and five images which document the people, the culture and the landscape of Haiti in 1950. The author Hugh B. Cave and his adventurous family arrived in Haiti in late 1949. Cave’s photographs come together as an endearing narrative of the country and many of them are used in the book about the country that he published in 1952… Haiti, Highroad to Adventure (a first edition copy in dust jacket is included with this archive). The wide-angle and full-length, at times atmospheric, shots capture the stunning beauty, the harsh desolation of its regions, as well as the resilience and majesty of its inhabitants. Thatched houses cluster in verdant backdrops and stretch along barren streets. Women undertake long treks to bring their merchandise to the markets. They also walk miles for water and to do their laundry. Cave sensitively captures Haitians in their daily lives–market days, meat markets, sorting coffee, laundry days, selling their wares, helping neighbors in their farms or to build homes–thus humanizing them. His images show how religions–Christianity and Voodoo–coexist. The collection also includes images of his family excursions, portraits of Theaud, Lucy and Edita–their domestic help–and portraits of the author.

The 105 photographs are in archival plastic sleeves in two three-ring binders. Many  images have descriptive, typed captions taped to the verso and many bear the stamp: “Hugh B. Cave 1223 N. Mt. Baker Blvd. Oak Harbor, WA 98277”. Item #P00246

Hugh B. Cave (1910-2004) was a prolific American writer of a range of genres, including pulp, horror, romance, and fantasy novels. He wrote more than 1,000 short stories, about 40 novels and a considerable amount of non-fiction, but he is perhaps most remembered for his horror/crime stories. In Haiti, Highroad to Adventure (1952) and the novel, The Cross on the Drum (1959), he portrays the practice of voodoo with great sensitivity. In the 1960’s his horror fiction frequently used a Haitian voodoo motif. He won a world fantasy award for lifetime achievement in 1999. He also wrote under the pen names John Starr and Justin Case.

Condition: Both the book and photographs are in fine condition