Caryl Phillips, A Distant Shore

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A Distant Shore

, published in 2003, is the seventh novel by prolific author, essayist and playwright Caryl Phillips. In the vein of much of his previous work, this is a novel of displacement and alienation; however, this experience is no longer solely the burden of immigrants and refugees – those like Gabriel who have undergone national displacements and ruptures – but is shared by internal migrants, such as Dorothy, the novel’s white protagonist. This is notably Phillips’s first novel set in contemporary Britain, signalling a historical and geographical remove from his earlier oeuvre that subsequently affects the treatment of familiar subject matter (race, racism and national identity).

Phillips was born in St. Kitts and brought up in Leeds, England. He has since lived and worked

2555 words

Citation: Ilott, Sarah. "A Distant Shore". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 October 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11975, accessed 19 March 2024.]

11975 A Distant Shore 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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