Marlon James returns to Jamaica for research on new novel
Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James traveled to Kingston in 2023 and 2024 to conduct research for his new book The Disappearers.
Research focuses on queer history
James conducted interviews with dozens of people to understand a queer history he had not fully explored before. He looked into the lives of characters spanning from the 1940s through the early 2000s. Most details uncovered during this research process do not appear directly in the final novel.
Personal connection to setting
The author grew up in Jamaica during the 1980s but did not experience queer life there at that time. He previously spent time in church praying away his gay identity before coming out later in life. This return trip allowed him to investigate frameworks of power and homophobia from different eras.
Book explores past decades
The story follows survivors navigating the 1980s and 1990s within Jamaica. The narrative addresses topics such as the AIDS crisis and lingering effects of colonialism. James describes the project as his most personal work to date.
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