Our Literary Corner is where we focus on recommending books and films pertaining to our birthplace and heritage. At this time, our recommended collections are presented in two parts. The first part, Our Authors, features the review and recommendation of books and films of our Panama and/or our West Indian heritage by authors born in Panama. The second part, Members' Choice, represents the review and recommendation of books written by other authors on the subject of Panama or our West Indian culture.    In addition to our featured list (obviously not all inclusive) of Panamanian writers, the following are other self-portraits written in the past; which we discovered are "hard-to-find" books/papers. Foremost among them are George Westerman's "Los Antillanos en Panamá" ("Fifty years of West Indian life in Panama") and Charles Barton's "Toward the Development of Panama: The Afro-Panamanian Contribution." Raymond Davis' dissertation, "West Indian Workers on the Panama Canal." Alda Harper's study of Colored Schools in the Canal Zone. Allen Morton's "The Private Schools of the British West Indians" and Lancelot Lewis' "The West Indian in Panama." These are all fine studies that deal with the massive influx of our forefathers to Panama and their living and working conditions. Dr. Westerman is the possessor of one of the largest collections of historical materials dealing with Blacks, West Indians, and Panama - U.S. relations in Panama. Anyone writing a book on the subject today would be remiss if they did not refer/research his materials for guidance. Once editor of the first Black West Indian Newspaper in Panama, "The Panama Tribune," he became a literary icon (among other significant achievements) in the community.  Dr. George Westerman In 1926, Sydney A. Young started "The Panama Tribune" to provide services to the West Indian Community. It featured contributing editorials by prominent leaders in the community attacking the mean treatment and wages given silver employees of the canal, and picked up material from the Negro wire service in the U.S. It enjoyed the longest run of all West Indian papers, forty-four years. Westerman took over as editor in 1959 following the demise of Mr. Young. "The Workman" (1912-1930), founded by Barbadian H. N. Waldron, clearly dominated the West Indian press in the 1920s. It was pro-British, but carried West Indian sections relying heavily on West Indian staff. Latin Panamanian views of the West Indian Community in Panama can be found in secondary work by John and Mavis Biesanz's "People of Panama" and Jorge Arosemena's "Los Panameños Negros." The dissertation by Carlos Wilson and Mirna Pérez-Venero examined racial attitudes and behavior as revealed in Panamanian literature. Overview of Panama's Literature Panamanian historians attribute Panama's late literary development to two general circumstances: (1) the fact that in colonial times the people of the Isthmus were preoccupied with the all-absorbing commercial activities; and (2) the lack of focus and incentive for intellectual growth. Three outstanding writers of the eighteenth century were the eminent jurist, Manuel José de Ayala (1728-1805), Sebastián López Ruiz (1741-1823), and Víctor de la Guardia y Ayala (1772-1824), whose tragedy in verse, La Política del Mundo, was the first dramatic work composed and performed in Panama. Justo Arosemena (1817-1896), a profund thinker ushered in a flourishing political literature imbued with the sentiments of the times. In the later half of the same century appeared the first generation of Panamanian poets, which included Gil Colunje, Tomás Martín Feuillet, Manuel José Pérez, José María Alemán, Amelia Denis de Icaza and other romanticists. These were followed by modernist poets, the most important of whom were Darío Herrera (1870-1941) and Ricardo Miró (1883-1940). Following the creation of the Republic in 1903, Panamanian literature entered an auspicious era under greater official stimulus and recognition. Two eminent statesmen, Belisario Porras (ex-President) and Samuel Lewis, contributed much of the essay in Panama of the early part of the twentieth century. Other distinguished contemporary writers were Ricado J. Alfaro (ex-President), Octavio Méndez Pereira and Narciso Garay. Three outstanding writers on educational subjects were Jeptha B. Duncan, Temistocles R. Céspedes, and José D. Crespo. The modern-day writers of today are too numerous to mention here at this time and will be mentioned in future reviews. A recent book, worthy of note, however, is by one of our own, Dr. George Priestley, "Military Government and Popular Participation in Panama - The Torrijos Regime 1968-1975." The book is seen referenced in the notes and bibliography sections of other related books written about Panama. Dr. Alberto Barrows has also written a book, "You Do Not Request a Photo of Me," revealing racism in Panama. Also noteworthy are the promotion of poetry and theater in the history of the West Indian/Panamanian community by Carlos E. Russell, PhD., published author, playwright, poet, grassroot activist, political commentator--to name a few.  Although no one would argue nor is there contrary debate that his work is under recognized, he is well known within and without the Panamanian community. Mr. Russell has published several volumes of poetry and contributed to leading magazines, including the The Panama Tribune, Liberator Magazine and the Amsterdam News. He also has written and produced plays such as "NAT" (based on the life of Nat Turner) and "Pappy Show and Monkey Shines" (based on a WI woman's plot and scheme to get a green card), to name a couple. He currently has a talk show on WLIB (AM).  It is aired nightly, Mondays through Fridays, from midnight to 5:00 a. m. The show is called "Thinking it Through with Dr. Carlos E. Russell." Dr. Preistley, along with a colleague, Dr. Barrow, as well as Dr. Russell, have also published books on the West Indian experience in Panama, which we will review and post in due time. Roy Bryce-Laporte has also been publishing articles and monographs on the recollected history of the Silver Men and their descendants.