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A review by apoorvasr
In the Company of Men by Véronique Tadjo
5.0
In the Company of Men by Veronique Tadjo , translated from the French by John Cullen
It seemed to be the right time to read this book. Looking back at the bleak times of last year , the earth ravaged by the Covid virus.
It is true that history repeats itself . But will the humans ever learn ?
The story of the Ebola virus , the epicentre of its existence and its wrath spreading among the Africans . The origin being the consumption of bushmeat..
Death ensues.
The virus’ wrath is endless . Families are wiped out. Children are orphaned.
The Baobab tree in the Saharan desert looks on and offers it’s pearls of wisdom - the need to be in sustenance and harmony with our environment . To respect and nurture our earth, for she is a giving mother.
To not fall prey into the spirals of human greed and hunger.
The Baobab tree holds no more conferences under its shade. It’s verdant boughs cut and sold as “ souvenirs”.
We listen to the perspectives of all in this book - A poetic treatment of the disease.
The doctors who cannot treat but can only control..
The families who do not understand the severity of the disease ..
The volunteers burying the dead in the containment centre .
Lovers separated in quarantine ..
Finally even the bats and viruses talk . How it may not be their fault , how they are just carriers and how they did not know their range of destruction yet . Innocent bystanders only .. Activated by us..
A virus which has no soul without a host ..
We revisit how we felt with Covid . The continuous burning of the body . The lucky healed - what made them strong? We will never know.
In the end there are similarities with both wars with viruses - presenting a united front and the power of human love and empathy pushing us though a pandemic ..
It seemed to be the right time to read this book. Looking back at the bleak times of last year , the earth ravaged by the Covid virus.
It is true that history repeats itself . But will the humans ever learn ?
The story of the Ebola virus , the epicentre of its existence and its wrath spreading among the Africans . The origin being the consumption of bushmeat..
Death ensues.
The virus’ wrath is endless . Families are wiped out. Children are orphaned.
The Baobab tree in the Saharan desert looks on and offers it’s pearls of wisdom - the need to be in sustenance and harmony with our environment . To respect and nurture our earth, for she is a giving mother.
To not fall prey into the spirals of human greed and hunger.
The Baobab tree holds no more conferences under its shade. It’s verdant boughs cut and sold as “ souvenirs”.
We listen to the perspectives of all in this book - A poetic treatment of the disease.
The doctors who cannot treat but can only control..
The families who do not understand the severity of the disease ..
The volunteers burying the dead in the containment centre .
Lovers separated in quarantine ..
Finally even the bats and viruses talk . How it may not be their fault , how they are just carriers and how they did not know their range of destruction yet . Innocent bystanders only .. Activated by us..
A virus which has no soul without a host ..
We revisit how we felt with Covid . The continuous burning of the body . The lucky healed - what made them strong? We will never know.
In the end there are similarities with both wars with viruses - presenting a united front and the power of human love and empathy pushing us though a pandemic ..