Art in the Caribbean is essentially an art history textbook designed to serve the needs of readers in the region and elsewhere, providing them with a lavish visual resource that is long overdue. As its authors Anne Walmsley and Stanley Greaves point out, the fragmented nature of the Caribbean with its geographical, cultural and linguistic barriers has made such comprehensive art texts difficult to produce. At last, this beautifully designed book with a generous complement of colour plates means that students throughout the region will have a history of art and a visual record at their finger tips. The book has been long in planning and production, so it is understandable that in its blurb, the book's collection of images - including artists such as Wifredo Lam, Leroy Clarke and Christopher Cozier (who is also a contributor)- is described as a 'virtual gallery'. Even as it is being published, there is recognition that this book faces competition from digital resources that have already begun to close the gap between our islands. This book is a much needed resource for educational institutions but it will be interesting to see how its display stands up alongside the myriad Caribbean images now available to students online.