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They Never Told Me: And Other Stories
In this collection, award-winning author Austin Clarke has caught, in his characters, a sweet longing for youth and an anxiety-stricken rage at old age; an immigrant’s longing for a placid, lost home and his lust for a new high-speed motorcar life; and an intellectual’s sense of empowerment by black history even as he watches what little he knows about such history engulf him. These are intense and private lives made public by the force of their individual voices, voices that may be rambunctious and fractious but that are, nonetheless, elegant in their intent and humor and their acceptance that is never acquiescence. The volume also includes a prose portrait of Austin Clarke by acclaimed author Barry Callaghan.
- GenresFictionShort Stories
216 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
20 people want to read
About the author
Austin Clarke
108 books99 followersAustin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke was a Canadian novelist, essayist and short story writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He has been called "Canada's first multicultural writer".
Clarke had his early education in Barbados and taught at a rural school for three years. In 1955 he moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto but after two years turned his hand to journalism and broadcasting. He was a reporter in the Ontario communities of Timmins and Kirkland Lake, before joining the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a freelance journalist. He subsequently taught at several American universities, including Yale, Duke and the University of Texas.
In 1973 he was designated cultural attaché at the Barbadian embassy in Washington, DC. He was later General Manager of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados (1975-1977).
Returning to Canada, in 1977 he ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Ontario election. He was writer in residence at Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec and at University of Western Ontario.From 1988 to 1993 he served on the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
Clarke had his early education in Barbados and taught at a rural school for three years. In 1955 he moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto but after two years turned his hand to journalism and broadcasting. He was a reporter in the Ontario communities of Timmins and Kirkland Lake, before joining the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a freelance journalist. He subsequently taught at several American universities, including Yale, Duke and the University of Texas.
In 1973 he was designated cultural attaché at the Barbadian embassy in Washington, DC. He was later General Manager of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados (1975-1977).
Returning to Canada, in 1977 he ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Ontario election. He was writer in residence at Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec and at University of Western Ontario.From 1988 to 1993 he served on the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 20, 2019
A perfectly good thematic collection of short stories that won't blow your mind, but will wrap you up in a tale and solid characters and gel together into a satisfying whole.
All the stories are about the sense of loneliness and not belonging, mostly immigrants. There's poverty, age, sex, and some beautifully applied surreality in the most successful story.
The progression of characters' ages and genders map out a male and female life story each, showing climbs to respectability but also deep-seated pain.
All the stories are about the sense of loneliness and not belonging, mostly immigrants. There's poverty, age, sex, and some beautifully applied surreality in the most successful story.
The progression of characters' ages and genders map out a male and female life story each, showing climbs to respectability but also deep-seated pain.
December 10, 2015
I'm a fan of Austin Clarke and expected to like these stories better but really only liked the title story
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews