The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke

featuring Tanya Shields, Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies

Winner of the 2002 Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and the Trillium Prize

—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.—HarperCollins

—Uncommonly talented, Clarke sees deeply, and transmits his visions and perceptions so skillfully that reading him is an adventure.—Publishers Weekly

—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

—Endlessly fascinating…creatively executed….The Polished Hoe is certain to be met with critical acclaim in the U.S. —Booklist

—Mesmerizing….steeped in slavery, colonialism, and sexual exploitation.—New York Times Book Review

Meeting Date: Tuesdays, November 29 and December 6

Cost: $40, includes a copy of the book shipped to your home

Register online  or call 919.962.1544