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Book launch The Caribbean – Jacob Gelt Dekker

The American Book Center and Liesbeth Heenk of Amsterdam Publishers, would like to request your presence at the book launch of The Caribbean written by one of Holland’s most remarkable entrepreneurs and colorful philanthropists, Jacob Gelt Dekker.

 

After a life-changing diagnosis, Dutch entrepreneur Jacob Gelt Dekker decides to take a step into the unknown. Setting sail from his home in Key West, he embarks on an odyssey around the Caribbean islands, navigating treacherous waters and nations forever shaped by the Age of Discovery and transatlantic slave trade. Soon he discovers that he is not alone on his boat. With him during the long days and nights at sea are Anansi the Spider, the West African trickster, and The Flying Dutchman, doomed to sail the oceans forever and harboring a terrible secret.

Together, this unlikely trio seeks to establish the truth about the history of the Caribbean. Along the way, they encounter famous pirates and unpick tales of untold riches, but also retrace the steps of the region’s slaves, finding out how events in Europe, the fledgling American colonies, and Africa sealed their fates. Informed by personal experience and the people he meets on the islands, Jacob Gelt Dekker offers an unconventional account that is key to understanding the Caribbean and its peoples today.

The Caribbean offers an accessible and entertaining survey of this complex region that goes well beyond the usual boundaries of a history book. Rather, it is a one-of-a-kind, sharp-witted travelogue in which the author combines in-depth knowledge with historical narration and a bit of fantasy.

The history of the Caribbean is turned into an entertaining tale of piracy, battle and superstition; current affairs alternate with enlightening anecdotes about historical figures. A dynamic chapter in history is brought to live by fascinating and moving stories of pirates, buccaneers, privateers, slavery, corruption, and witchcraft.

The Caribbean reads like a novel, providing us with a rollicking narrative and a rich brew of colorful facts.

The Consul General of the United States, David McCawley will present the first copy of the book to Mrs drs. A. Groot-Philipps, Director of the Cabinet of Curaçao.
Speakers:
David McCawley, Consul General of the United States
Mrs. drs. A. Groot-Philipps, Director of the Cabinet of Curaçao
Fabienne van den Bor, Deputy Director and Educational Advisor of the Fulbright Center
Charles D.A. Ruffolo, Founder of The NetworKing BV & The Giving Back Foundation
Lynn Kaplanian Buller, co-owner of the American Book Center

During the event three color copies of the book will be printed on the ABC press and will be sold to the highest bidder. Proceeds will benefit the ‘Dutch2USA Dekker-Padget Internship program’ of the Fulbright Center in Amsterdam.

The Caribbean by Jacob Gelt Dekker has been published by Amsterdam Publishers
300 pp, 95 b&w illustrations
ISBN 13: 9789492371751 (Kindle ebook)
ISBN 13: 9789492371744 (paperback)

Place & time:
The American Book Center, Spui 12, 1012 XA Amsterdam
Thursday 24th of May 2018, 6-7 pm

Please RSVP to info@amsterdampublishers.com before the 13th of May if you wish to attend.

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