The Survivors of the Crossing

Set in Barbados in 1961, this novel centers on how the self-governing colony is ruled by a "Labor" party while the sugar estate workers wonder whether slavery has ever ended. Raging against the "white" alliance of the landowning class, the church, and their supporters, this novel lashes out at ignorance, self-deception, and pusillanimity. Revealing an acerbic comedy of status, play-acting, and double-dealing in the village--a microcosm of the self-interested activities of the nation's political class--this bleak tale of absurdity highlights the controversial issues of race and racism.

Austin C. Clarke is the author of Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack, More: A Novel, and The Polished Hoe. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.