“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) Review Members of the Book Club enjoyed the book immensely. They felt great sympathy for the main character, Okonkwo, who grapples with his determination not to be like his weak father. Some readers felt they could relate to this desire to be the opposite of a despised parent and the danger this obsession represents. They liked the language … Continue reading Things Fall Apart
“This Blinding Absence of Light” by Tahar Ben Jelloun (Morocco) Favourite Quote Life: it’s being able to raise your arm, rub the back of your neck, stretch for the pure pleasure of it, get up and stroll along aimlessly, watch people go by, stop, read a newspaper – or simply stay sitting at your window because you have nothing to do and it’s nice to … Continue reading This Blinding Absence of Light
“From a Crooked Rib” by Nuruddin Farah (Somalia) Synopsis and Review “From a Crooked Rib”: And if anyone tries to straighten it, he will have to break it Set in the months leading up to Somalia’s independence in 1960, “From a Crooked Rib” is the story of Ebla, an orphan of eighteen, who escapes from her nomadic encampment in rural Somali when she discovers that … Continue reading From a Crooked Rib
“Tsotsi” by Athol Fugard (South Africa) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Book Club Favourite of Season 4 Synopsis and Review “Tsotsi”: a compelling story of redemption Tsotsi is an angry young gang leader in the South African township of Sophiatown. A man without a past, he exists only to kill and steal. But one night, in a moonlit … Continue reading Tsotsi
“Welcome to Paradise” by Mahi Binebine (Morocco) Book Club Favourite of Season 2 Synopsis and Review “Welcome to Paradise”: a Difficult but Inescapable Journey “Welcome to Paradise” opens with a group of people waiting on a beach for the signal to start their crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar for the shores of Spain. They are a disparate group but all are seeking the ‘promise … Continue reading Welcome to Paradise
“I Write What I Like” by Steve Biko (South Africa) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Synopsis On 12th September 1977, Steve Biko was murdered in his prison cell. He was only 31, but his vision and charisma – captured in this collection of his work – had already transformed the agenda of South African politics. This book covers … Continue reading I Write What I Like
“Desertion” by Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania) Abdulrazak Gurnah’s seventh novel “Desertion” transports the reader to East Africa with an exciting and captivating story that portrays a continent in upheaval through the lives of its characters. The first part is set in a small coastal town near Mombasa in 1899. Early one morning, Hassanali, a local shopkeeper, sets out for the mosque, but he never gets there, … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2005 – Desertion
“Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) Favourite Quote Some months ago, he wrote that he did not want me to seek the whys, because there are some things that happen for which we can formulate no whys, for which whys simply do not exist and, perhaps, are not necessary. Synopsis Fifteen year-old Kambili lives in fear of her father, a charismatic yet violent Catholic … Continue reading Purple Hibiscus
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