My Path
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My Path. Robert U. Doyle was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, a steelworking community in days gone by. A good place to experience social inequality, poverty and disadvantage but also to witness the resilience of local people and the importance of community. On to St. Francis Xavier University and a degree in English Literature, along with acquiring a love of poetry and creative writing, plus a foundation in social justice. The next step was taking a Master of Social Work at Dalhousie University which led to several years working at the community level in mental health and in organizing an innovative project of community development in a mixed racial area.
All these experiences were useful in further work at the University of Toronto where I did PhD research with development organizations in various parts of Canada but facing the same barriers of poverty and disadvantage and power. The next stage was in teaching in social development and social policy not only in Canada but in Australia and with periods in Thailand and Vietnam. Throughout, I continued to write articles and books and reports, always with an eye to issues promoting social development and empowerment. Along with learning, there was living and I always loved my work.
However, now I am fortunate to write in a different way about all the same issues facing ordinary people, including those who think they are extraordinary, as they try to negotiate their lives. DS Tara Street, my expat Australian detective, has her own problems and strengths as she tries to protect and serve the people of Toronto in this crime fiction series. I hope you like the stories.