Published in 1985, Crossing the Mangrove is Maryse Conde's third novel. It's one which centers on the author's own French background. Born in Guadeloupe, she sets her novel in the same place in order to pay homage to the place which made her. Like all of her other works, the book was published originally in French and later translated into English and a few other languages for publication.
Conde received her degree from the University of Paris, French literature being her primary passion. She teaches French at Columbia University. With such a strong academic emphasis on language, she crafts books which center around the value of the spoken word. Crossing the Mangrove is no exception. Conde has received both Le Grand Prix Litteraire de la Femme and Le Prix de L'Acedemie Francaise for her writing.
