Hi, I'm Lovar Burton and this is Lovar Burton Reads.

In every episode I hand-pick a different piece of short fiction and I read it to you.

The only thing these stories have in common is that I love them and I hope you will too.

I'm going to read you a story today by the Canadian literary giant Austin Clark.

He was a Tarantonian, born and raised in Barbados.

Austin was an exceptional writer and thinker who won many of the major commonwealth prizes.

He wrote 11 novels, many, many short stories, books of poetry and several memoirs.

One of his gifts to the world was his writing set in Taranto about the people of Taranto,

especially the Caribbean immigrants of that city.

And because Austin passed away about two years ago now, I invited someone who knew him

very well to talk about his life and his legacy.

Itasadu is a storyteller and the co-owner of the bookstore and cultural center in Taranto

called a different book list.

As the folks from the bookstore put it, they bring you literary gems from Canada's cultural

mosaic from the south to the north from Africa to the Caribbean from Asia to South America.

The musical accompaniment played live in this story is from a Tarantonian artist named

DeFett Charles.

He is a singer, songwriter and a guitarist born in Haiti.

His musical style reflects a mix of his Haitian roots and African rhythms which he calls

the African soul.

Very apropos.

Today's story was originally published in Austin's collection entitled When He Was Free and Young

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