Nostalgia and a love for writing drive 2002 Guyana Prize fiction winner Ken Puddicombe

Ken Puddicombe

Down Independence Boulevard and Other Stories by Guyanese-Canadian writer, poet and publisher Ken Puddicombe, the winning entry in the 2022 Guyana Prize for Literature, Fiction category, is an entertaining and educational work that is one third historical, one third fictional and one third personal experiences, set in Guyana’s immediate pre and post-independence era.

The entry was Puddicombe’s first in the country’s premier literary competition.

“I thought my collection of 16 short stories was ideal for submission because of so many historical references going back to the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s,” Puddicombe told Stabroek Weekend in a recent interview from his Brampton, Ontario, Canada home. He said that he had not heard about the revival of the literary competition until author and poet Ian McDonald telephoned him and advised him to enter. McDonald sent him the details.