Canada has lost one of its great writers. Acclaimed novelist Austin Clarke died yesterday morning at the age of 81.
q news correspondent Mitch Pollock joins guest host Gill Deacon to reflect on the Giller Prize winning author's impact, his activism and his longtime refusal to become a full Canadian citizen.
Clarke's longtime friend Rinaldo Walcott told the Toronto Star, "Austin wrote our multicultural moment before we even had a language to describe it."
Among his many achievements, Clarke was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1998.
WEB EXTRA | Our colleagues at CBC Books have surfaced many great archival interviews with Clarke. One remarkable highlight: Clarke's interview with Malcolm X on CBC in 1963.
Media Audio | Rewind : An Uncut Interview with Malcolm X- Part One
Caption: The Canadian writer Austin Clarke in an interview with Malcolm X in late 1963. This full length and uncut interview became part of a two hour documentary that looked at the neighbourhood of Harlem in New York City, which was largely a black ghetto.
Media Audio | Rewind : An Uncut Interview with Malcolm X- Part Two
Caption: The Canadian writer Austin Clarke in part two of an interview with Malcolm X in late 1963. This uncut interview became part of a two hour documentary that looked at the neighbourhood of Harlem in New York City, which was largely a black ghetto.