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Wayne Westphal Barrow is a project manager by profession, a storyteller by obsession, and according to a well-meaning Moravian minister at his birth, destined for greatness, a prophecy that, much like Wayne’s gym membership, has yet to manifest economically or socially. Born in Barbados and shaped by life across Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, Wayne has collected experiences the way some people collect stamps; enthusiastically, occasionally recklessly, and without always knowing what to do with them until much later.
When not writing, Wayne can be found promoting the creative arts, working with wood and stone, or convincing himself that his youthful exploits in cricket and athletics were far more legendary than witnesses might confirm. He maintains, with little evidence, that he was once the Usain Bolt of his neighborhood and a Chris Gayle in the making.
He writes because life, as he sees it, is too unpredictable, and too entertaining to leave undocumented. Some of his stories are based on real characters. Others have been improved for public consumption. He has written two non-fiction books; Guyana’s 2020 Elections: The 153-Days Saga and The Fear Algorithm along with two books of short stories; Carry on Smartly: But Is It True? and Carry on Smartly: The Seawall Remembers. His book of essays is called Rivers and Forests: Essays on Faith, Society and the Caribbean Mind.
He lives by a simple philosophy:
Carry on smartly… and try not to get caught in the retelling.
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Don’t mess with a tradesperson, especially when they’re in their lawyer, self-defensive mode. Tyrone was a family man, hardworking and intent on providing a good home for his family. Then he met Jamella, a woman from Guyana. He lavished her with attention, and she took whatever she could get from him until she possessed her ultimate dream: a home of her own on the beach. When Jamella’s presumably ex-husband appears and the locks to the dream home are changed so that Tyrone can’t access the house, he realizes he’s been had. He might be down and somewhat broken, but certainly not beaten. He has a plan. He will have the upper hand in the end.
Wayne Westphal Barrow’s book, Carry on Smartly: But Is It True?, is a clever take on things that could, and sometimes do, happen in life. Like the story of the tradesman and his paramour; like the plane ride that almost ended in tragedy, the author addresses multiple concepts of life: justice, spirituality, power, ethics, and, basically what it means to be alive and live amongst other humans. The stories might be true; they might be fantasy. There’s always an element of truth in a work of fiction. Like a work of art depicts what the artist sees and feels, these stories depict the inner workings of a creative mind, raw and blunt, actively seeking meaning in a complex world. Set in various Caribbean countries, the stories are engaging, entertaining, and draw the reader in with ease, allowing the reader to contemplate the morals and topics presented. A compelling read.
