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blessing_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
crowyhead's review against another edition
4.0
This book was slow going because I was mostly reading it during my lunch hour at work, but it's a good read. Ngugi wa Thiong'o is an acclaimed author, and in this memoir he tells of his life growing up in Kenya during WWII and the Mau Mau uprising. When I started reading this book, I knew very little about Kenyan history, so this made some of the events difficult to follow. On the other hand, it has spurred me to learn more about the greater political climate at the time. Sometimes the book can be a bit hard to follow, because the narrative is not always linear; it's more like listening to someone talk than reading a book, as the author is reminded of incidents or backtracks to explain something that has not been mentioned before. Sometimes this can be confusing, but it is also a rewarding experience.
virginiaduan's review against another edition
3.0
I first read about this book on Christianity Today's website under their book reviews and was so intrigued! This book really was quite the history lesson on Kenya and an immense culture shock. The reason it took me so long (it was just two sessions of reading separated by a few weeks) is because the subject matter is so hard. It's silly because Thiong'o really doesn't dwell on the suffering (nor does he gloss over it). However, the history of Kenya is a hard thing. It hurts my heart to read about the British doing such crappy things to a proud and wonderful people(s). It angers me.
As such, even though all that history backstory was informative, it also got quite confusing for me. The combination of all these difficult to keep track of names, timelines, and etc. made it hard for me to digest. However, is that the fault of the author if I have such an abysmal understanding of history?
I do recommend the book, if anything just to have the history of Kenya told via a memoir which at least grounds it in reality. Although, perhaps I would've preferred a historical fiction novel instead. Maybe I will check out Thiong'o's fiction (I think they're all set in Kenya).
As such, even though all that history backstory was informative, it also got quite confusing for me. The combination of all these difficult to keep track of names, timelines, and etc. made it hard for me to digest. However, is that the fault of the author if I have such an abysmal understanding of history?
I do recommend the book, if anything just to have the history of Kenya told via a memoir which at least grounds it in reality. Although, perhaps I would've preferred a historical fiction novel instead. Maybe I will check out Thiong'o's fiction (I think they're all set in Kenya).
cateresa's review against another edition
3.0
Ngugi highlights a tense time in Kenya as the country struggled against British occupation. While the history was fascinating to see from an insider perspective, and Ngugi gives rich portraits of some of his family, the book disappointed me overall. The reading felt scattered and his telling of the history was often confusing-- sometimes to the point of incoherence. I wished he had told the story with a better eye to his broader audience. I think it is important that we non-Africans understand the African perspective on independence struggles. Ngugi wa Thiong'o only carried me part of the way there.
jaclyn_youngblood's review against another edition
4.0
See full review at In the House of the Interpreter.
soraia_sumie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0