Wendy's comments (member since Mar 06, 2008)

Wendy's comments from the Great African Reads group.

Like Dana, I've recently read "Whatever You Do Don't Run" and enjoyed it very much. I also read "The God of Small Things" which was I believe a '97 Booker Prize winner, but I didn't really love it. I'm currently reading "The Language of Baklava" which is a memoir about a girl born in the US to an American mother and Jordanian father. It's a very food-centric memoir w/ lots of recipes. The kind of book that makes you want to go eat whatever food they are talking about when you are done reading the book.

I just ordered a copy from Amazon. Should have it soon and will try to actually get w/ the program this month :-)

I was able to order a used copy of Agotime from Amazon for (no kidding) $0.02. How weird is that? Let's hope all the pages are in the book when it arrives :-) I'm looking forward to some great discussion later next month. Happy New Year to all!

I LOVED "Twenty Chickens for a Saddle" -- it was reminiscent of "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight". I'm planning to read the Peter Allison book. I'd love to discuss either one. Twenty Chicks is a really fun and fast read.

I definitely want to keep the discussion going even though I did end up flaking on the December selection. If it's feasible to choose books that are in print I think that is a good idea, but I realize that may not be an option every month. I think choosing books for the next 3 months will help people to obtain their copies enough ahead of the discussion to make it more do-able for all. Thank you to all for helping to identify so many great book choices for Benin (a country I must confess that I am in total ignorance about as to its history or current state of affairs). I will do my best to get myself up to speed before the book discussion begins.

I haven't had a chance to try to track down a copy yet. If it gets to be too complicated and/or too expensive then I may sit this month out.

That is awesome Richard -- congratulations! I already had your book on my wish list, but am now even more excited to read it :-)

I'm so relieved that I wasn't the only one who had some difficulties w/ this book. I guess it was the lack of character development that was so maddening for me. I wanted to know and understand more about the family dynamics, and there were so few glimpses into that.

The fanatacism was definitely interesting, although I have read other books that I felt did a better job of really conveying what fanatacism means on a day to day basis. I think "A Thousand Splendid Suns" did a good job of illustrating it in a really compelling way. Also, "Lipstick Jihad" does a nice job too. I grant you those books aren't set in Africa, but when I read them I felt like I developed a better understanding of what it really would mean to live under a totalitatarian theocracy.

I would have liked to have had more insights into what it was, specifically, that was effective in drawing the masses in to the fundamentalist furor. I realize that great pressure was put on people to tow the line, but it would seem like they would have to buy in to the dogma, at least at some level, to really get so many young people -- both male and female -- to become part of the movement.

Also, the use of children to propagate (sp?) the message was interesting (albeit frightening). Nothing new though I suppose given the Hitler Youth Movement, etc.

I think Marieke is right, this book is more a meditation than a narrative. Put in those terms, the book makes more sense -- although I still did not enjoy it as I had hoped I would.

Great discussion -- I'm so glad that we have so many active participants in this group!

THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU HAVE NOT YET FINISHED THE BOOK.

I would like to preface my comments by saying that I am a sucker for a good back-story (to wit -- Irene Nemirovsky in Suite Francaise and John Kennedy Toole in "A Confederacy of Dunces"). Unfortunately, I ended up being more enamored of the back-story than the book itself in both of the examples I cited. That being said, I was very intrigued by the back-story about Djaout. It was so tragic and he had such courage to continue to do his work in the face of grave danger. I'm afraid though that I was a bit disappointed with the book -- and I really didn't want to be!

Reading it as a translation may have made a difference, but I just never felt like I was able to connect w/ the main character. The story is so sad -- I can't imagine having my family abondon me and turn against me the way his family did, and yet the only time I felt slightly emotionally invested was during the dream sequence when his son is one of the attackers.

Maybe I am missing something . . . ? Did anyone else see something that maybe I missed? I am perfectly willing to be persuaded. Maybe the book would have turned out differently if Djaout had lived to finish it. Maybe reading it in French would have felt different. Maybe I'm the only one who had this reaction to the book . . .?

I did feel extremely annoyed with myself that while the events that are being written about were actually unfolding, I was completely oblivious of all of this upheaval. It makes me worry that I am missing other important world events that are happening right now and I'm just not paying close attention. It's very unsettling.

I read it in plain old English. I'm finished w/ it, so ready to start discussing as soon as others are also ready to go :-)

I checked on Amazon and there are copies available on there, although I am a bit surprised at the price. The book has only about 215 pages and the new copies (in paperback) are selling for US$32.90. That seems a bit steep for a paperback, but maybe it is due to limited quantities . . . ? The used copy is classified as a "collector's edition" so if even more exensive. If anyone finds copies w/ a better price, please let us know.

I am about 1/3 of the way through it. The copy I bought has a foreward by Wole Soyinka which I thought was really well written. He definitely give you food for thought. I must confess thought that I am struggling to feel a connection with the main character. I'd like to feel more invested in his fate. Maybe I will get there as the story develops.

My apologies if I was not supposed to comment on any of the specifics on the book yet. Hopefully I did not create a huge spoiler for anyone who reads this.

Cyril -- Thank you for the info on Antjie Krog's other book. I read C.O.M.S. and thought it was utterly compelling (though difficult to read at some points due to the tragic stories she was relating). I will definitely add "A Change of Tongue to my wish list (which is way way way too long already!). I also thought "My Traitor's Heart" was excellent. Another book that is Congo-specific which I would recommend is "King Leopold's Ghost". I thought it gave a good overview of the history in the Congo. I was utterly amazed and dismayed at the fact that King Leopold was able to portray himself as a great humanitarian with altruistic motives for the Conga, all the while raping it of its resources and commiting unspeakable atrocities on the Congolese.

I've been enjoying reading all the posts on PWB. Since I read it several years ago, I refrained from joining the discussion, but wanted to share the "Leopold's Ghost" book suggestions for anyone interested in learning more about the history of colonialization of the Congo.

The books looks realy good -- and the back story is interesting too. I just ordered a copy off Amazon and can't wait to get started on it! Thank you for getting this organized -- I am looking forward to making my way from Algeria to Zimbabwe :-)

Hi Muphyn,

I would like to cast my vote for "Algerian Childhood" -- but all the books sound great and I know I will enjoy reading whichever one is chosen. Thanks to you and Marieke for getting the ball rolling. I didn't particiapte in the PWB discussion since I read that a few years ago so was a bit rusty, but I did enjoy reading everyone's comments and observations about it. I can't wait to have some good discussions about Algeria as well :-)

I will be happy to read whatever the group picks. Pretty much all the books on your list above are books I have either already read or are sitting in my stack waiting to be read so I know I'll enjoy discussing whichever book is chose. I like the idea of looking at both fiction and non-fiction as well as books by African authors as well as non-African authors (although I am slightly more inclined to go w/ African authors). Having some authors join our discussion sounds fantastic.

Wendy

Yes -- it's on my list, I just haven't gotten to it yet.

I just finished reading "Infidel" and wondered if any others in this group had also read it. I'd love to discuss it with anyone else who might be interested. Weigh in if you have an opinion.

Not to get off topic from Africa, but I just finished the book "First They Killed My Father" by Luong Ung about her experience growing up in Cambodia and surviving the Pol Pot regime. You should read it if you haven't already done so.

I thought the book was very compelling and there were many sad aspects about the story that was shared, but I don't recall being actually moved to tears. I think the story is presented in a fairly dispassionate voice -- very factual -- so I don't think you have a frozen heart just because you did not break down in tears about it. That being said, I think if this book were to be made into a movie, it could easily induce tears because actually seeing some of the images that are described would be far more emotionally wrenching.

If you have not read Twenty Chickens for a Saddle by Robyn Scott, I highly recommend it.