Chronicle of the Seven Sorrows

the long version

"Published in France in 1986, Chronicle of the Seven Sorrows is Patrick Chamoiseau's first novel. It traces the rise and fall of Pipi Soleil, "king of the wheelbarrow" at the vegetable market of Fort-du-France, in a tale as lively and magical as the marketplace itself. In a Martinique where creatures from folklore walk the land and cultural traditions cling tenuously to life, Chamoiseau's characters confront the crippling heritage of colonialism and the overwhelming advance of modernization with touching dignity, hilarious resourcefulness, and truly courageous joie de vivre."--BOOK JACKET.