The Polished Hoe

Austin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke (1934-2016) was a Barbadian-Canadian novelist, essayist, short story writer, and poet renowned for exploring the immigrant experience, Black identity, and Caribbean heritage in Canada. His most notable works include the Giller Prize and Commonwealth Writers' Prize-winning novel The Polished Hoe (2002), The Origin of Waves (1997), memoirs like Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack (1980), and poetry collections such as Where the Sun Shines Best (2013); he received additional honors including Member of the Order of Canada (1998) and Toronto Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement (1992).