On Friday November 22, 2013, the book, ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’, written by Petamber Persaud, was launched. The response to this publication was so overwhelming that by July 2014, the book had gone into a third printing. And plans are afoot for a revised edition.The book is an up-to-date guide featuring significant literary landmarks from the 16th century to the new millennium. This 150-page book including over 100 photographs is an attempt at bringing to the fore little known facts about lesser known aspects of our literature. The big books, the big authors and the big success stories in Guyanese Literature are also featured.
Al Creighton, literary critic and secretary to the Guyana Prize for Literature, at the book launch said, ‘I will not do a close critical review of the book but I will speak to it, I will speak to it as a very important stimulus  to the study of Guyanese Literature and the discourse on Guyanese Literature, I will speak to it as a  book that takes us into the world of Guyanese Literature through various windows that Persaud opened through the book and I would use this as a platform to reflect a little bit on Guyanese Literature – what it is, where it came from, and where it is at the moment because those are themes which Persaud’s work aims to do.
Now this ‘Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ is a documentary, it is a description of what has been published in Guyanese Literature and it tries to list all of those. It is not a critical analysis …but it is certainly an extremely scrupulous account of Guyanese Literature since its beginnings up to the present time. It deal much more with the historical importance of the works than is does with current Guyanese Literature as it is. It covers a wide range of areas as I said before reflecting considerable reading…The record is of course not totally comprehensive but it comes near, it comes quite near to being that. We find that Persaud compartmentalises the whole wide world of Guyanese Literature into several small areas’
Those areas are namely Oral Literature,   Travelogues and Histories,   First Examples of Writings by Guyanese – The Early Versifiers, ‘Modern Guyanese Poetry’, ‘Literary Groups,  Magazines,  Journals, the Short Fiction, Children’s Literature, The Theatre Movement and Modern Guyanese Drama, The Rise of the Novel, Book Publishing,  The Cheddi Jagan Gold Medal for Literature,  The Guyana Prize for Literature,  The Guyana Annual, Guyanese Short Story, Landmarks of Literature – Guyanese Anthologies of Prose and Poetry….
Endorsing the reprint are the following:
‘I am not an expert on Guyanese literature. However, I can say something about literary scholarship and the importance of grass-roots knowledge. Scholarship grounded in the knowledge of one’s community, as well as scholarship which grows out of first-hand experience – living with literary and cultural traditions – is extremely valuable. Petamber Persaud’s An Introduction to Guyanese Literature is one such work. Persaud has grown with many of the traditions about which he writes. He has remained immersed in Guyana’s cultural and artistic scenes. An Introduction to Guyanese Literature is a foundational text. It offers the reader an overview of Guyana’s literary traditions and is infused with the important awareness that Guyana’s literary heritage is first rate and demands further critical attention.’ Stephanie McKenzie –  Associate Professor, Memorial University (Grenfell Campus), Newfoundland, Canada.
‘The appearance of this book is most welcome since it chronicles from the perspective of the self-taught social literary historian — many choice tidbits not recorded in other places. Petamber Persaud’s offering in this book is born of passion and love for literature. It is one of many such labours of love that he has produced over the years. His book should be essential reading for all students of Guyanese or Caribbean Literature. A titillating read.’ Dr Paloma Mohamed Martin is the Head of Communications Studies at the University of Guyana.

‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ is a book that also brings together ideas from a number of specialists from different historical periods that dedicated themselves to the study and construction of themes from Guyanese literature. The book presents cultural and literary issues allowing readers an updated knowledge and without the intention to exhaust the subject. A reprint of the Mr. Petamber Persaud’s book has significant importance for readers who seek to interpret the complex cultural and literary heritage in Guyana.’ Dr. Reginaldo Gomes de Oliveira – Associate Professor and Vice-Chancellor at the Federal University of Roraima,  Brazil.
Guyana’s literary heritage is extremely rich  – for its size of population and stricken  history –  one of the richest in the world. It would take scholarly volumes to explore this vast heritage. Petamber Persaud has bravely undertaken a most useful reconnaissance. It is good indeed he has done so. ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ is a valuable survey done with pride and joy, cutting a trail into the great forest which stands waiting.  Dr Ian McDonald is a prizewinning poet, novelist, playwright, columnist and editor.
‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature by Petamber Persaud captures a historical documentation of Guyanese literary works that is particularly significant in its wide coverage of major prize winning and landmark publications from poetry, prose, short stories, novels, plays, journals, magazines, and even travelogues. Persaud has provided a useful research base for students and researchers delving into Guyana’s literary world of the past and into the first decade of the 21st century.’  Dr. S. Shah Roath, Ed.D. Executive Director – Guyana Learning Channel Trust, scriptwriter, cultural historian, and dramaturge
‘Upon my appointment as ambassador of Mexico in Georgetown, I began to search information about the history and culture of Guyana. However, not much material was available in Mexico and, to my surprise, even here I found it difficult to discover a way into the culture of this marvellous country. I wish I would have found a book such as Mr. Petamber Persaud’s recently published ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’, which would have allowed me to trace a better approach and a more orderly reading of Guyanese writers.  I certainly support a reprint of Mr. Persaud’s book.’ Francisco Olguin Uribe,  Ambassador of Mexico to Guyana & Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM
‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ will go a long way in preserving our literary heritage. The book is available from the National Library, Austin Book service and the author.

(Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

(By Petamber Persaud)