Best BVI Books

Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk (Little Brown and Co. 1965) is a favorite Caribbean novel that’s not to be missed.
 

Diving British Virgin Islands by Jim and Ooile Scheiner (AcquaQuest Books 1997) is packed with info, site diagrams, and the photography of one the most well-known BVI photojournalists.
 

The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook: Casual and Elegant Recipes Inspired by the Islands by Jinx and Jefferson Morgan (Harvard Common Press 1996). Former Bon Appétit food and wine critics, Jinx and Jefferson Morgan now operate the famed Sugar Mill Restaurant and have brought their Caribbean cuisine to the masses in one of the best BVI publications to date.
 

British Virgin Islands: The Hometown Lowdown Guide to Travel & Taste by Paul Spicer (iUniverse 2008). Part travel guide, part local cookbook, this recommend read is packed with island folklore, beach secrets, and hidden gems.

 
 
Sky Juice and Flying Fish by Jessica B. Harris (Fireside 1991). One heck of an authentic guide to Caribbean cooking and regional specialties.

 
 
Sunfun Calypso, authored by Islander Julian Putley (Virgin Island Books 1999), is an absolute must for any fan of the Caribbean. Packed with laughter, poignancy, and tons of hometown lowdown, Sunfun Calypso is the perfect adventure whether you’re a tourist, an avid BVI traveler, or resident. Putley, who is to this day a popular yachtsman in the BVIs, has spent many years navigating the Caribbean as a yacht charter captain. Putley also freelances for BVI Welcome magazine and publishes other tropical tales. He is a BVI fixture that you’ll want to read and, if possible, meet in person. Many lucky travelers will tell tales of Putley serving as their skipper, only to find out later that he’s the talent behind quite possibly the best BVI book to date. In fact, after you read his descriptions of island cooking, the sea, and the sun, you’ll be ready to hire him to charter your next trip.