Dat's Love

by Leonora Brito

Dorothy, 59, takes up nude modelling; Dooley Wilson's funeral in Cardiff; the assassination of J.F.K.; what's going down at the Blue Bayou; the road that was once a canal; Dido Elizabeth Belle, a slave in England. These are just some of the characters and situations in Leonora Brito's wide-ranging collection of stories.
From the surreal to the mundane, from shopping at Tesco to dying in a hospice, these are beautifully observed stories, moving, funny, authentic.
Dat's Love marks the arrival of an exciting new writer whose sharp dialogue, exactness of detail and striking images are hugely appealing.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 1995

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fresh, vibrant stories from this black Welsh woman, writing about the experiences of immigrants in Cardiff Bay in the 50s/60s/70s, and later (with a couple set in the 17th & 18th centuries). This collection was published in the 90s, and I looked in vain for other books by her, and was sorry to hear of her death in 2007... update - there does seem to be another collection, 'Chequered Histories' (2006) - I'll chase that up.

[Durre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone interested in short stories written in Wales/based in Cardiff and old Tiger Bay. These stories show so much skill. Such a shame that Leonora Brito was never brought to light properly and is often forgotten about.

[Joshua Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely crucial read: a formidable achievement in the short story form, of the Black-Welsh experience(s), and those communities who call Cardiff home.

[rachy · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Dat’s Love’ is an interesting and original little short story collection from Afro-Caribbean Welsh author Leonora Brito who is sadly no longer with us. Though I didn’t always ‘get’ all of the stories in this collection and found a few of them a little lacking in their endings, I was definitely impressed by every single story presented here. What I found most striking about this collection is Brito’s narrative voice which shows such incredible range. The characters and perspectives in each story are so wildly varied and yet Brito handled each so naturally, so convincingly and in a way that felt fresh and original. I found Brito’s prose to be similarly pleasing, never overly complex but enjoyable and always an appropriate compliment to the given story. I don’t have too much more to say on such a slim volume, except it certainly is a shame there isn’t more of Brito’s work that is out there and accessible.

[Jen Burrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dat's Love is a wonderfully vivid collection of short stories from Welsh author Leonora Brito. This new edition as part of the 'Black Britain: Writing Back' series celebrates her unique talent over a creative career that was sadly cut short.

Each story is distinctive in its own right, with many exploring Black experience of life in mid-twentieth-century Cardiff Bay. Every aspect of her short stories - from her characters, their voices, to the settings and descriptions - is so vividly realised, the scenes almost leap from the page.

From the mundane to the surreal, Brito's writing feels as fresh and vibrant as ever. Dat's Love is a real gem of a short story collection, and I hope this new edition reaches many other new readers.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*

[Jane MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of stories is one of the Welsh texts included in The Library of Wales project to ensure the preservation of writing about Welsh culture and lives. Dats Love and Other Stories is set in the Tiger Bay area of Cardiff and takes the form of a series of vignettes exploring the black immigrant Welsh experience. The writing is lively and evocative, and despite not being a fan of the short story form, I found these absorbing and revealing, providing much more than just a social history. The dilemmas and perspectives of Brito's rich range of characters is amusing, thought provoking and moving.

[Valje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only 3 stars because, although I keep trying, I'm not good with short story collections!

[Martha Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the extract about Dido for my first year module, Transforming Visions: Text and Image. Can't complain about the piece other than I didn't feel entirely engaged to the story despite it touching on the topic of slavery.