The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke
Winner of the 2002 Scotiabank Giller Prize and of the 2003 Commonwealth Writers' Prize: Best Book (Canada and the Caribbean)
When an elderly Bimshire village woman calls the police to confess to a murder, the result is a shattering all-night vigil that brings together elements of the African diaspora in one epic sweep. Set on the post-colonial West Indian island of Bimshire in 1952, The Polished Hoe>unravels over the course of 24 hours but spans the lifetime of one woman and the collective experience of a society informed by slavery.
As the novel opens, Mary Mathilda is giving confession to Sargeant, a police officer she has known all her life. The man she claims to have murdered is Mr. Belfeels, the village plantation owner for whom she has worked for more than thirty years. Mary has also been Mr. Belfeels' mistress for most of that time and is the mother of his only son, Wilberforce, a successful doctor.
What transpires through Mary's words and recollections is a deep meditation about the power of memory and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. Infused with Joycean overtones, this is a literary masterpiece that evokes the sensuality of the tropics and the tragic richness of Island culture.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780887621109 |
| ISBN 10 | 0887621104 |
| Title | The Polished Hoe |
| Author | Austin Clarke |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Thomas Allen Publishers |
| Year published | 2002-09-03 |
| Number of pages | 480 |
| Prizes | Winner of Scotiabank Giller Prize 2002 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |