US/EN
The Polished Hoe
Austin Clarke
(Author)
Description
When Mary-Mathilda, one of the most respected women of the island of Bimshire (also known as Barbados) calls the police to confess to a crime, the result is a shattering all-night vigil that brings together elements of the island's African past and the tragic legacy of colonialism in one epic sweep.
Set in the West Indies in the period following World War II, The Polished Hoe -- an Essence bestseller and a Washington Post Book World Most Worthy Book of 2003 -- unravels over the course of twenty-four hours but spans the collective experience of a society characterized by slavery.
Product Details
Price
$13.99
$13.01
Publisher
Amistad Press
Publish Date
May 25, 2004
Pages
480
Dimensions
5.28 X 8.04 X 1.15 inches | 0.8 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9780060557621
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate
About the Author
Culminating with the international success of The Polished Hoe in 2002, Austin Clarke has published ten novels, six short story collections, and three memoirs in the United States, England, Canada, Australia, and Holland. Storm of Fortune, the second novel in his Toronto Trilogy about the lives of Barbadian immigrants, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award in 1973. The Origin of Waves won the Rogers Communications Writers' Development Trust Prize for Fiction in 1997. In 1999, his ninth novel, The Question, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award. In 2003 he had a private audience with Queen Elisabeth in honour of his Commonwealth Prize for his tenth novel, The Polished Hoe. In 1992 Austin Clarke was honored with a Toronto Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature, and in 1997, Frontier College granted him a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1998 he was invested with the Order of Canada, and he has received four honorary doctorates. In 1999 he received the Martin Luther King Junior Award for Excellence in Writing.
Reviews
"A well-crafted novel."--Austin American-Statesman
"If the literary gods are feeling fair, Clarke will now receive attention from U.S. readers."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Magnificent. . . The Polished Hoe oozes unrequited love and seduction under duress."--San Antonio Express-News
"The beauty of the novel...lies in the poetry of its telling and the marvelous voice of Mary-Mathilda...a marvelous creation. It bubbles with the voices of a now-vast literature of the African diaspora."--Washington Post Book World
"Mesmerizing....steeped in slavery, colonialism, and sexual exploitation."--New York Times Book Review
"Endlessly fascinating...creatively executed....[The Polished Hoe] is certain to be met with critical acclaim in the U.S."--Booklist
"Lyrical...seductive...hypnotic....In this politically engaged novel, we are reminded that when it comes to colonialism, one never comes to any sort of final understanding."--Houston Chronicle
"Clarke's waltzing speech rhythms and sly humor, reminiscent of V. S. Naipaul...[contribute] to a Wagnerian crescendo."--Boston Globe
"[An] eloquent, richly detailed novel . . . .[that] unfolds through brilliantly written dialogue."--Publishers Weekly
"The story will captivate readers."--Daily Oklahoman
"Uncommonly talented, Clarke sees deeply, and transmits his visions and perceptions so skillfully that reading him is an adventure."--Publishers Weekly
"If the literary gods are feeling fair, Clarke will now receive attention from U.S. readers."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Magnificent. . . The Polished Hoe oozes unrequited love and seduction under duress."--San Antonio Express-News
"The beauty of the novel...lies in the poetry of its telling and the marvelous voice of Mary-Mathilda...a marvelous creation. It bubbles with the voices of a now-vast literature of the African diaspora."--Washington Post Book World
"Mesmerizing....steeped in slavery, colonialism, and sexual exploitation."--New York Times Book Review
"Endlessly fascinating...creatively executed....[The Polished Hoe] is certain to be met with critical acclaim in the U.S."--Booklist
"Lyrical...seductive...hypnotic....In this politically engaged novel, we are reminded that when it comes to colonialism, one never comes to any sort of final understanding."--Houston Chronicle
"Clarke's waltzing speech rhythms and sly humor, reminiscent of V. S. Naipaul...[contribute] to a Wagnerian crescendo."--Boston Globe
"[An] eloquent, richly detailed novel . . . .[that] unfolds through brilliantly written dialogue."--Publishers Weekly
"The story will captivate readers."--Daily Oklahoman
"Uncommonly talented, Clarke sees deeply, and transmits his visions and perceptions so skillfully that reading him is an adventure."--Publishers Weekly
