A woman in a township in Zimbabwe is surrounded by throngs of dusty children but longs for a baby of her own; an old man finds that his new job mak...
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Apr 13, 2009
Andrew
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This debut short-story collection by Zimbabwean writer Petina Gappah is a wonderful read. The tone of each one is perfect: the language is consistently beautiful but also completely natural. You get to know the characters very quickly, through small details artfully described, and are left at just the right moment to move on to the next tale.
The title gives a clue to what's in store. "Elegy" is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "A song of lamentation, esp. a More...
The title gives a clue to what's in store. "Elegy" is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "A song of lamentation, esp. a More...
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Dec 23, 2009
Dan
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I liked these stories separately and together. Almost all are set in the Zimbabwe of the dictator Robert Mugabe, sometimes with a minor backstory from the time of the guerrilla war. In the one story set outside Zimbabwe, a Zimbabwean man whose life and understanding are constrained by the various kinds of poverty he brings with him from Zimbabwe tries to cope in Europe but is betrayed by his own limitations and by other Africans. Readers will see the latter kind of understated, almost hidden, be
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Oct 22, 2011
Emily
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This is a beautiful collection of beautiful stories by a beautiful writer . . . okay, I need to find a new adjective.
Petina Gappah is an author who I followed online long before I read an actual book by her – she has a fantastic blog and a biting sense of humor. She lives in Harare, Zimbabwe, and has a background in law (if I remember correctly). Also, according to her Blogspot profile, she’s currently working on a novel. This makes me happy.
Back to the beautiful stories. Gap More...
Petina Gappah is an author who I followed online long before I read an actual book by her – she has a fantastic blog and a biting sense of humor. She lives in Harare, Zimbabwe, and has a background in law (if I remember correctly). Also, according to her Blogspot profile, she’s currently working on a novel. This makes me happy.
Back to the beautiful stories. Gap More...
Mar 05, 2009
A pre-emptive offer was made via agent Claire Paterson at Janklow & Nesbit. The short stories anthology An Elegy for Easterly will be published in the UK first, with an April 2009 launch, coming out in the US in June. The novel The Book of Memory has been scheduled for publication in spring
2010.
Both works deal with issues faced by Zimbabweans, including the ongoing hyper-inflation and life under president Robert Mugabe's regime. Lee Brackstone, publishing director for fiction a More...
2010.
Both works deal with issues faced by Zimbabweans, including the ongoing hyper-inflation and life under president Robert Mugabe's regime. Lee Brackstone, publishing director for fiction a More...
Aug 05, 2009
Tania
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There are those who write fiction in order to educate, to say "This is how things are done, this is what you must know, read and learn". But in my opinion, education is not the primary aim of fiction. Fiction must, above all, bring the reader a gripping story, characters that we want to follow, to see what happens to them. This is where Petina Gappah excels: first and foremost, she tells great stories, and, almost incidentally, we learn as we read. We learn about Zimbabwe, the rhythms
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Mar 01, 2010
Catherine
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I have been researching Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean history for about a year now and I have found this collection of short stories - though fictional - the most helpful and insightful of all. In just a few sentences, Guppah is able to recreate the atmosphere of Zimbabwe and the people of Zimbabwe. There are many stories here (an Elegy for Easterly, Something nice from London,Cracked Pink Lips of Rosie's Bridegroom) that will forever remain vivid in my mind. They are stark, humourous and dark all
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May 05, 2010
WiscJennyAnn
rated it:
Trying again for the Amsterdam Waterstone's book club, May 2010 (cancelled last month, boo).
Ugh!!!! Cancelled again!!!!
It was indeed ok (should I have given it two stars? I hate how this rating system is skewed! 'Ok' should be the middle category). The stories were interesting, although none of them imprinted upon me too deeply. They began to blur together after a while as the pages whisked by. Many reviews I've come across note that these stories contain basic human truths, More...
Ugh!!!! Cancelled again!!!!
It was indeed ok (should I have given it two stars? I hate how this rating system is skewed! 'Ok' should be the middle category). The stories were interesting, although none of them imprinted upon me too deeply. They began to blur together after a while as the pages whisked by. Many reviews I've come across note that these stories contain basic human truths, More...
Dec 06, 2009
Glenn
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This was a nice collection of stories, written in first person, like an observation on life. The writing was good, easy to read, transported the reader to the place where the story was. This writer brings a raw accounting of circumstances her characters find themselves living through. It is a matter-of-fact description (by the character) that I think has to come from someone who's life is closer to survival-at-best than mine is. I recommend the book.
Jul 25, 2009
Rita
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This is not the greatest fiction I've read, but the Zimbabwean settings and characters are new for me, so the stories turned out very interesting. So much Karanga or other Zimbabwean language is scattered throughout, so the average American reader can't process a significant portion of the content. A knowledge of political names (beyond Mugabe) and historic events would also have given me a richer reading experience. Now I have a better understanding of modern Zimbabwe. I shouldn't have been sur
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Feb 10, 2010
Marie
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To be called "a fine writer" by J.M. Coetzee is no small accomplishment. I picked up this book unsure whether I would understand the canvas of the stories, mostly set in the author's native Zimbabwe, but came away astonished at the writing's ability to communicate with the reader. If you are at all curious of a human perspective of what rampant inflation, political corruption and disease can do to a country and its people, this is a good book for you.
Oct 05, 2010
Peter H.
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This is a beautiful but uneven collection of shorts stories from Zimbabwe. Put together they give an excellent picture of Mugabe's country: the corruption, the poverty, and people's will to survive.
Some stories are truly memorable like Something Nice From London. Another favorite of mine is the slice-of-life piece, In The Heart of the Golden Triangle about the "joy" of being a mistress to a rich man.
Some stories are truly memorable like Something Nice From London. Another favorite of mine is the slice-of-life piece, In The Heart of the Golden Triangle about the "joy" of being a mistress to a rich man.
Feb 26, 2010
Cynthia
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A collection of short stories set in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe's regime. Admittedly, I didn't know much about day-to-day life in Zimbabwe and couldn't really even conjure up an image. But the fictional characters in these stories put a face on a country I didn't know much about. It was beautifully written: touching in places, humorous in others. My main complaint about this book is that I wish it was longer.
Jul 30, 2009
Danika
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I heard this author interviewed on NPR and decided to pick up the book. It's a collection of short stories all set in the author's native Zimbabwe. I quite enjoyed the collection, although a couple of the stories didn't grab me. I know next to nothing about Zimbabwe and really enjoyed learning a little bit about the country via these stories. Quick read. Includes some fairly frank treatment of AIDS and sex.
Mar 18, 2010
Bettie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 21, 2009
A revolutionary’s wife barters her silence for a seat in the Senate. A woman weds for wealth but receives a deadly virus. Short-story writer Gappah trains her satiric wit on her Zimbabwean homeland, where the powerful struggle against inflation and the powerless cope.
Jul 28, 2011
Cheryl
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A collection of short stories by a Zimbabwean woman who is a lawyer living now in Geneva. The setting, in Zimbabwe, immediately invites comparisons with Chimimanda Adichie from Nigeria — but it lacks that immediacy and intimacy somehow. 3 1/2*
Mar 13, 2011
Alyssa
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Somewhere between a 3 and 4. I loved the vivid life in these stories. My favorites were probably the one about the young woman scrambling to live abroad and the unfortunate fellow caught in the e-finance hoax. I'd love to read her next book.
Apr 13, 2010
Melitta
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This book is a series of short stories set in Zimbabwe. Little cameos of life under Mugabe, for the most part. Not a very sophisticated book, but does give an idea of the hardships across all income levels, but particular among the poor, and the recently poor due to Mugabe's mismanagement of the country.
Feb 14, 2010
Molly
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In my wildest dreams I could never be this cynical and tough. These stories are really ambitious and not all of them work perfectly, but the first 5 or 6 especially are the most amazing.
Aug 06, 2011
I wouldn't normally read short stories, but this collection was excellent. All based in Zimbabwe and laced with a spot of both humour and reality.
Aug 06, 2009
Carol
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Given the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe, this could have been a very depressing book. In her 12 short stories, Gappah creates fictional characters who are looking for ways to fulfill themselves, find love, lead meaningful lives, despite their dire circumstances. And she does it in a way that is entertaining and witty and often funny.
Jul 31, 2011
Sabrina
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A bit too 'real' for me and the writing is a little disjointed but if you want a raw read on Zimbabwe, I'd suggest this.
Sep 13, 2009
Gaye
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Wonderful collection of short stories. After having been to Africa I could relate to some of the comments and situations.
Jun 25, 2009
I heard Ms. Gappah on NPR's Morning Edition reading excerpts and talking about her work. This is now on my MUST READ list.
Sep 22, 2010
Gordon
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An all-too-rare glimpse into contemporary Zimbabwean life. Not a literary gem, but imaginative, funny, and compelling.
May 24, 2010
Anastasia
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This was worth a read, but the stories were very uneven. There were some really great ones (such as Something Nice from London), but others were not that interesting and were sometimes a little difficult for this Westerner to follow. Nonetheless, Gappah did a nice job of conveying Zimbabwean aspects of culture, politics, gender roles, and recent history.
Aug 25, 2009
Phyllis
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Stories of today's Zimbabwe, victims and ruling elite. Adds a human perspective to the news.
Jul 10, 2010
Elaine
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Crisply written and engaging, but few of the characters seem to go beyond archetypes.
