This is the third novel I've read from the late author Maryse Condé and by far the best book. The story spans from late 16th century to early 17th cenThis is the third novel I've read from the late author Maryse Condé and by far the best book. The story spans from late 16th century to early 17th century through 3 generations. The main story is set in Ségou, Mali, but spreads to Sénégal, Ghana, Nigéria, Morocco and Brazil...
The novel starts with the detailed description of the city of Ségou, a rich agricultural with local king, beliefs and traditions through the eyes of a noble man. However, following the fall in discrace of this nobility from the local royal court, several of his children leave the family case for new destinations, opportunities and religions. Each child has different fate, but all long to return to their native Ségou and not all make it back. The departures of the children is a strong signal of upcoming change to Ségou.
I've read before the book collection of the late author Amadou Hampate Ba, from the Peule tribe. This amazing historical fiction is mostly about the Bambara tribe in Ségou, but mentions the entire diversity of African tribes in the 17 century. I've learned a lot more about the variation interactions between African tribes, regions, countries and people than in any other novel.
As a Moroccan, I was suprised about the lenght and importance of the Moroccan and moors presences in Mali during that period. One of the leading character ended up living and working in Fes. ...more
This is the first novel I've read from Ghanean author Yaa Gyasi. It is really an exceptional and unique novel. The theme is really original, creative,This is the first novel I've read from Ghanean author Yaa Gyasi. It is really an exceptional and unique novel. The theme is really original, creative, and inspired by real History. The story starts with 2 sisters from Ghana, Africa whom have never met. One became a slave shipped to USA while another stayed in Ghana and became the wife of a White slave trader. The story moves on from one generation to the next for each of the sisters. Each new chapter is about a new generation and a new leading character. Readers get to discover the evolution, changes and lacks of changes for African Americans and Africans from Ghana from the 18th to the 20th century.
First novel I've read from South African author. First chapters I thought the book was going to be entireley melodramatic, but thankfully the story's First novel I've read from South African author. First chapters I thought the book was going to be entireley melodramatic, but thankfully the story's tone evolved. The author touched many subjects in this story: - poverty in slums of Durban, - women, - sexuality: sexual aggression, HIV, teen pregnancies,... - and many more sub-themes.
Pass the first chapters, the book is great to read. ...more
This is the first novel i've read from Senegalese author Ousmane Sembène. This book is based on real events about the 6 months strike of Senegalese trThis is the first novel i've read from Senegalese author Ousmane Sembène. This book is based on real events about the 6 months strike of Senegalese train workers in 1947. The story is set in Dakar, in Thies (Senegal) and in Bamako (Mali) in 1947 while most of Western Africa was still under French colonialism.
The author succeeded in writing this great story with multiples leading characters and located in multiple locations. The characters are well developed with each characters its own lifestyles, ideas, and behaviors. The author described very well and in details how the strike affected the workers, their wives, their daily livelihood, the hardship in trying to live and survive throughout the 6 months. The story depicts how the prolonged strike affected everyone in the community in all the villages along the Dakar-Bamako train line.
The strike imposed on everyone new ways of life, new ways of thinking, new ideas and ideologies. It was a strike from employees against employers in a country under occupation whithin a world of racism from whites against blacks.
The story is amazing to read. The book is so well written. The strike and its consequences on everyone are food for thougths and lessons to be learned.
First novel I read fron Ivory coast author. The novel resembles the many books written about colonial era by various authors from different African coFirst novel I read fron Ivory coast author. The novel resembles the many books written about colonial era by various authors from different African countries. ...more
This is the first novel I've read from author Olympe Bhêly-Quenum of Benin, Africa. This is my first novel from Benin. The story is during the coloniaThis is the first novel I've read from author Olympe Bhêly-Quenum of Benin, Africa. This is my first novel from Benin. The story is during the colonial era after WWI and ends just at beginning of WWII. Unlike many novels by African authors written whose story is set during that era, the story is not about colonialism.
Readers follow the Bakari family, a Muslim and rich agricultual family living in the North of the country. The author describes the ups and downs of typical life in a calm and peaceful environment until the leading character has an incomprehensible dispute with his wife and mother of his 4 children. Then the leading character loses his mind, leaves the family's farm and heads south.
The book seems divided in 2 stories: - the first one is clear, predictible and describtive set in the North, - the second one is unclear, with many actions, new secondary characters, leading to inconclusive end.
It is like if the author had started writing the first story, then stopped a long period of time and returned to it with a new direction. The other assumption is that the author attempted to oppose the calm and peaceful rural North of the country against the busy and dangerous urban South.
Interesting novel, but with an obvious flow in the story's direction and inconclusive end. ...more
I've read several novels from Congolese author Alain Mabanckou. Like the previous book, this novel is short, concise, easy to read and undesrtand. TheI've read several novels from Congolese author Alain Mabanckou. Like the previous book, this novel is short, concise, easy to read and undesrtand. The story is about a Congolese immigrant in Paris, who got wrongly arrested and how his life lead him to be arrested.
The author depicts well the mindset of Congolese immigrants in Paris, the lifestyle, and inter-relationships between them. While being among people from your own native country can be very helpful in coming to France, finding work to do, and getting used to the new lifestyle, it could turn to a nightmare when these same people use you for illegal activities.
The story is easy and simple to read with a clear message. ...more
This is the first novel I ve read from Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. It is a very well written novel touching several subjects, but only speThis is the first novel I ve read from Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. It is a very well written novel touching several subjects, but only specific readers can relate or understand what the leading character feels like.
The leading character is a young and relatively unknown promising African author living in contemporary Paris in 21st century. He discovers a great African novel, published in 1938, written by an unknown African author, who was destroyed by the critics after being hailed.
The author touches through the narration of the leading character, the unknown author and other characters on several sensible subjects as:
- the world of literature with its countless of young and promising authors, its publishers, its critics, and readers whether today or in 1930's; - the contrasting experiences of African authors caught between their native countries, who don't recognize them anymore, and their adoptive country, France, who doesn't accept them at all; - the choices of African authors on what to do and what to write about, - and the journey of an individual in life to find its own path and own place in society. ...more
This is the second novel I read from Senegalese author David Diop. The story is set mostly in Senegal during the mid 18th century, but it starts in FrThis is the second novel I read from Senegalese author David Diop. The story is set mostly in Senegal during the mid 18th century, but it starts in France early 19th century. The introduction is quite long about the death of the French Botanist, the leading character, and his daughter who inheritated everything from him. The introduction is not interesting compared to the remaining story.
The daughter discovers that her father had traveled to Senegal during a few years prior to marrying her mother. The botanist narrates his travel when he was just a young adult going to Senegal to discover new plants. He distances himself from the rest of French colonials, who engage in slave trades in Senegal by describing himself as a young intellectual travelling to make discoveries, meeting with Africans and even going as far as learning the Wolof local langage. Then he narrates about hearing the story of a woman, falls in love with her just by hearing her tragic story, goes on an adventure through the wilds of Senegal with the son of a local king to find her and bring back her home safe. The author takes the "love" story to extreme as the leading character believes that the love was mutual throughout his life and until his life.
The love story is not believable at all and it was intentionally. I sense that the author was being satirical about this pseudo white intellectual who thinks they know everything better than everyone else and believes he's better than everyone else. The author criticizes these self proclaimed intellectuals by depicting the high level of hipocrisy and narcissisme of these people, whom are in the end no different than the slave traders. The botanist saw everything: the slave traders, the infamous Goree island, the slaves being taken away and their prisons. However, he was only concerned with himself and "his love" of the African woman until his death.
The secondary character is the teenage son of a local African king, who accompanies the botanist to translate and show him around. He is naturally helpful with no back agenda, but the botanist suspects him of having some secret agenda all the time. The teenager traveled with the botanist and saw how the life of any African individual regardless of his stature can be taken way easily at no cost.
If I am right about the critical and satyrical nature of the story, the author should have been more explicit because there are many readers who are not to get it. Overall it is a good book with some flaws. ...more
This is the first novel I've read from Nigerian Literature Nobel Prize author Wole Soyinka. This is an autobiography of his childhood spent in the smaThis is the first novel I've read from Nigerian Literature Nobel Prize author Wole Soyinka. This is an autobiography of his childhood spent in the small village of Aké, Nigéria during the 1940's. Throughout the biography, the author showcases several aspects of his upbringing that made him e the man and author he became later:
1. raised by his Christian Nigerian parents, but still surrounded with family members who followed only African traditions and faiths, 2. raised by both his parents AND by the entire village, 3. received from his father his interests in reading, books, and studying while receiving from his mother her will to care and/or "fight" for others, 4. had different behaviors than his siblings making different in good way as prominition of a great future.
The early life of the author was a great basis for his adult's life as we can read in the chronological bio available at the end of the book. A great read. ...more
This is the first novel I read from American author Paul Bowles. I purchased this book in a bookstore in Tangiers, Morocco, where the author lived mosThis is the first novel I read from American author Paul Bowles. I purchased this book in a bookstore in Tangiers, Morocco, where the author lived most of his life and died. There is a expo on him at the American Legation Museum in the city. The book was first published in 1952 and had some success and was turned into a movie in 1990 with the author being the leading actor.
The story in set during the WWII in Algeria occupied then by France. The leading characters are an American wealthy couple, married for 11 years with no children and no real work and problems between them. They escape WWII, western civilization and people by traveling to furthest places possible. Their road trip takes from from coastal city to Sahara where they meet people they don't like, encounter people they don't appreciate or don't understand, live in bad places and suffer from bad experiences.
The story is as much about the landscapes, the people and the experiences as about the couple difficult relationship in reliving their intimacy. Their trip is a way to exclude everyone and everything away from them as if they were in a prison. However, it has fatal consequences for both of them.
The story is interesting, innovative and in an exotic place for most readers. However, the story stays superficial, changes directions, and doesn't stand timec. It is difficult nowadays to relate to the characters, the story, and the locations. Everything has changed. For a story about the Sahara, it is best to read a novel by author whom are born and raised there. ...more
This is the 3rd novel I've read from author Alain Mabanckou of Congo, Africa. In this book, readers follow the author, who describes the 3 days of hisThis is the 3rd novel I've read from author Alain Mabanckou of Congo, Africa. In this book, readers follow the author, who describes the 3 days of his life he never could forget when there was the 1977 coup d'état in Congo. This coup d'état had 2 impacts on the author's life. M. Mabanckou narrates the 3 days using his child voice, young, innocent and naive. Throughout the novel, the author depicts in general terms the History of how African politics worked in 1970's, how African leaders intereacted with each other and the direct involvement of France in African affairs.
Although the book is very political, the author made it seem as if reading the story of a young child. The narration played a major role to make readers interested in this very well written book. ...more
This is the first book I've read from British author Jane Goodall. The book is non fiction auto biography of the author, who grew in England and went This is the first book I've read from British author Jane Goodall. The book is non fiction auto biography of the author, who grew in England and went to Kenya in 1957 to study animals and end up managing a center for the study of chimpanzees living in national parks.
The book contains everything from her childhood, her early interests in animals, her jobs in England before going to Africa. Then the author writes about the various stages of her life in Kenya. The book is clear, concise and easy to read and understand. However, the main flaw is that the book is too short for the purpose. I felt like reading anecdotes about her life and work/passion than an autobiography. I didn't feel as a reader immersed in the African national parks and the work with chimpanzees. The author moves quickly from one chapter to another, from one fact to another, but she never reveal deep feelings about the life and work. When the author left for Kenya in 1957 she stepped way outside her comfort zone, but it doesn't go trough in the novel. The author says that she kept a journal and recording tapes, but there is nothing much said on the book.
The book gives a short glimpse on the bio of the author, but it really is too brief (only 100 pages!!) for readers to be immersed and feel what the author had felt throughout the various stages of her life. ...more
This is the 3rd novel I've read from Tanzanian author and 2021 Literature Nobel prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah. The author wrote about his country's HThis is the 3rd novel I've read from Tanzanian author and 2021 Literature Nobel prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah. The author wrote about his country's History from Colonial era in the late 19th century to the independance era in the 1960's through the story of a sort of saga family in 3 generations.
The book is divided in 4 parts:
- the first part is set during the colonial era of Tanzania by the Germans in the late 19th century and centered around the leading character of Khalifa, son of an Indian immigrant and an African woman, who's lived his entire life simply in the same city the same work and staying out of troubles.
- the second part is set during the early 20th century in a colonized country and the new leading character is Elyas Hassan, once a local African runaway boy, who lived closely with the Germans learning to read and write in their languages, and while living among Africans feeling lost like a foreigner.
- the third part is set during WWI and years afterward and the new leading character is Hamza, also once a local African who joined the Germans, but then left and traveled around until settled for good in the coastal city where Khalifa lived. He's the 2nd generation of the saga.
- the 4th part is a concluding part of the entire book and the story is centered on Elyas junior, son of Hamza and nephew of Elyas senior, grows uo to become an educated and experienced Africa in an independant country.
The story follow a chronological timeline making it easy for readers to understand and not be confused. Although the characters and the story are developed, readers barely finish getting acquainted with the leading character that he is either gone or becomes a secondary character. The life story of these characters are not captivating and no way anyone can relate to any one of them.
However, there are a few points the author made through this saga:
1. Upon hearing about WW1; readers automatically will think about the wars, battles and conflicts in Europe, but very few (including myself) will think about the WW1 in Africa. The author reminds readers that while Europeans fought directly against each other in Europe, they also fought directly against each other's African colonies using local armies. In the story, the country was first colonized by Germany, then it lost it to England.
2. The author hints throughout the story that Africans constantly had to fight battles and died continuously in large numbers against Europeans since the late 19th century until mid 20th century, thus losing generations.
3. The story of these leading characters reveals that the surviving Africans, who lived and worked too closely to the colonial empires, ended up losing their identity and their purpose in life and cutting their relationships with their African families and friends. Meanwhile, the Africans, who lived and stayed away from colonial empires, didn't suffer from any identity problem.
Despite the lack of interests in the leading characters and their personal story, the book is still intersting to read because readers can learn a great deal about new aspects of colonialism unread before. ...more
This is the first novel I've read from author José Eduardo Agualusa and from Angola (Africa). This book is quite original in many ways. It is a sucessThis is the first novel I've read from author José Eduardo Agualusa and from Angola (Africa). This book is quite original in many ways. It is a sucessful mix between a fiction story and a semi-autobiographic story of the author:
- The fiction story is about a Portugese woman of Angolese orgin, who goes to Angola after discovering that she was adopted and her biological father was a famous angolese musician, who recently passed away. - The non-fiction story is the combined mix of : 1. a documentary of the road trip the author and other people made during 2005/6 driving from Angola through Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique; - 2. a documentary about Jazz music and bands in the above countries during the 1940 till the 1970's, - 3. a documentary about African women in these countries.
It was a bit confusing because several times I didn't know who the narrator of the chapter was: the author or one of the other male characters. Both the fiction and the non fiction stories were very very interesting to read and enjoyed very much reading them and they touch many various subjects. However, the disadvantage of treating about so many themes at the same time is that it is impossible for the author to develop thouroughly each one of them.
Another common theme of these stories is the cultural identity. There are 2 characters, whom are Portugese of Angolese origin, but while one of them is attached to the Angolese roots, the other one feels no attachment to it. Furthermore, there several communities with mixed racial origins, living side by side or getting married among each other creating new mixed communities. There are also a minority of foreigners, from various countries ouside of Africa, living in these African countries like Africans and with no attachment toward their country of origin.
It is a great book worth reading with original format and theme. ...more
This is the second book I've read from South African author J.M. Coetzee and winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize of literature. This book was written in laThis is the second book I've read from South African author J.M. Coetzee and winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize of literature. This book was written in late 2000, thus in late years of the author's career. The book is composed of 3 parts:
- the first part and most in lenght is the author sharing with readers his strong opinions on many and diverse range of themes from mathematics, to politics and love. This part would interest only readers who have read the author's entire bibliography and couldn't wait to know the author's views on anything. Unfortunately, I have read only one other book prior to his one and found this section to be boring. I don't care about many themes he treated briefly and don't care much about his personnal opinions.
- the second part and shortest in length is a fiction short story and a satyre on himself about a 70 years old author who hires a 30 years old beautiful woman and neighbor to type his texts narrated from the author's perspective. It was entertaining.
- and the third part is the same fiction short story than the second part, but narrated from the 30 years woman's perspective. It was also entertaining.
The book pages'format contained all 3 parts one below the other. I didn't understand this format and was inconvenient to read like this. Thus, I read the book 3 times!!! each time reading a different part of the page. The purpose of the fiction story narrated through the eyes of different people is first self-derision from the author's angle (I suppose because I don't think there is humour in his novels) and second about highlighting to never judge a person from his looks whether the person is good looking or old. ...more
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