The Farming of Bones

The Farming of Bones is a novel by Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat, published in 1998. The novel is set against the backdrop of the 1937 Parsley Massacre, a state-sponsored killing of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic ordered by dictator Rafael Trujillo. Danticat's work often explores themes of power, injustice, poverty, and the lives of women, drawing from her own experiences and Haitian history. The title itself refers to the Haitian term for harvesting cane, highlighting the labor and exploitation central to the story. The novel humanizes the victims of the massacre, offering a powerful narrative of resilience and remembrance.