Listen "EP 19: Saga Boy"
Episode Synopsis
When Antonio Michael Downing set out to write his memoir, he gave himself some written instructions: “Tell it plainly, let the sweet be sweet, let the sour be sour, let the truth ring its own bell.” This led to his critically-acclaimed book Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming. In it, the Canadian author and musician recounts his childhood in Trinidad, and what he learned about humanity adjusting to life in various cities and towns in Ontario, in Brooklyn, New York, and out on tour. Antonio Michael Downing is one of our country’s most talented writers and thinkers. He joins me today for a wide-ranging conversation about his life story, fatherhood and masculinity, the crisis between men and women, the culture wars – and why he believes we need more robust public discussion and debate.You can find Tara Henley on Twitter at @TaraRHenley, and on Substack at tarahenley.substack.com
More episodes of the podcast Lean Out with Tara Henley
EP 227: Mike Pesca on Media Insanity
17/12/2025
EP 223: Susan Swan on Modern Feminism
19/11/2025
EP 222: Molly Jong-Fast on Gen X Overwhelm
12/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.