"Traces the history of Haitian classical or "learned" music from the eighteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century by examining the state's role as a patron to the arts, the development of the educational system, the call for a national Haitian music in the early twentieth century, and individual composer's biographies." (author)
Discusses the January 2010 earthquake that struck in Haiti, focusing on the name of Goudougoudou which Haitians have given the natural disaster. Topics include the onomatopoeic nature of the name which resembles the destruction of buildings, the psychological impact the earthquake has had on Haitian women, and Haiti's efforts to relieve the psychological trauma of the event for children.