What do you think?
Rate this book
Mein Mercedes Ist Größer Als Deiner: Roman
"To the young man, Onuma, this car--this Jaguar the color of gold--was the embodiment of a dream. . .He was the gifted and lucky son, the one who had gone to the university and had got a job as public relations officer in a foreign-run firm. . .Who, in his village, was equipped to understand his achievement? Ah, but now they could see it. . ." This satirical novel about Onuma's return home and the tragic fate which there befell his car, plunges us into both city and rural life in Nigeria--into the realities of family relationships, business and politics.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
About the author
Nkem Nwankwo
12 books6 followersBorn in Nawfia-Awka, a village near the Igbo city of Onitsha in Nigeria, Nwankwo attended University College in Ibadan, gaining a BA in 1962. After graduating he took a teaching job at Ibadan Grammar School, before going on to write for magazines, including Drum and working for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation.[1]
He wrote several stories for children that were published in 1963 as Tales Out of School; More Tales out of School would follow in 1965.
Writer of short stories and poems, Nwankwo gained significant attention with his first novel Danda (1964),[2] which was made into a widely performed musical that was entered in the 1966 World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal.[1] During the Nigerian Civil war Nwanko worked on Biafra's Arts Council and in 1968, in collaboration with Samuel X. Ifekjika, he wrote Biafra: The Making of a Nation. After the civil war, he returned to Lagos and worked on the national newspaper, the Daily Times.[1] His subsequent works included the satire My Mercedes Is Bigger than Yours.
During the 1970s, Nwankwo earned a Master's and Ph.D. at Indiana University. He also wrote about corruption in Nigeria. He spent the latter part of his life in the US and taught at Michigan State University and Tennessee State University.[3]
He died in his sleep in Tennessee, from complications from a heart imbalance that he had been battling for some years
He wrote several stories for children that were published in 1963 as Tales Out of School; More Tales out of School would follow in 1965.
Writer of short stories and poems, Nwankwo gained significant attention with his first novel Danda (1964),[2] which was made into a widely performed musical that was entered in the 1966 World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal.[1] During the Nigerian Civil war Nwanko worked on Biafra's Arts Council and in 1968, in collaboration with Samuel X. Ifekjika, he wrote Biafra: The Making of a Nation. After the civil war, he returned to Lagos and worked on the national newspaper, the Daily Times.[1] His subsequent works included the satire My Mercedes Is Bigger than Yours.
During the 1970s, Nwankwo earned a Master's and Ph.D. at Indiana University. He also wrote about corruption in Nigeria. He spent the latter part of his life in the US and taught at Michigan State University and Tennessee State University.[3]
He died in his sleep in Tennessee, from complications from a heart imbalance that he had been battling for some years
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 13, 2014
Je n'avais pas lu de roman d'Afrique sub-saharienne depuis le très poignant Trop De Soleil Tue L'amour de l'écrivain d'origine camerounaise Mongo Beti. Ce petit roman prend place au Nigeria, un grand pays qui lui a été sous influence anglaise. L'auteur nous présente l'heur et malheur du destin d'un fils de chef de village Ibo, alors qu'il revient dans ce même village au volant d'une rutilante automobile.
Vaniteux, effronté, beau parleur, luxurieux, notre héros se délecte de la sidération que son véhicule provoque, et qui l'emporte sur toutes les autorités traditionnelles. Il en tire tout le parti possible pour mener une vie effrénée de bambochard. Au milieu des fêtes, de l'alcool et des catins, notre noceur brule la chandelle par les deux bouts. Jusqu'à quand ce nouveau Don Juan pourra-t-il mener pareille existence?
Car le dégout suit le plaisir à la trace, et le ciel se lasse des offenses qui lui sont faites, à moins qu'il ne faille plutôt craindre le mauvais œil lancé par quelque rival malintentionné. Et en effet, notre héros va bientôt en voir de toutes les couleurs, passant de Charybde en Scylla, tombant sur tous les monstres qui hantent les lieux où échouent les voyageurs ayant perdu leur navire dans la tourmente.
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce roman. Non seulement, tout est très vivant et crédible, mais la satire des vices et turpitudes de la société nigérianne des années 70 - et l'auteur en embrasse une grande variété - est féroce.
April 14, 2023
Even before I started reading ‘My Mercedes is Bigger than Yours,’ I knew that my review will be tainted by my enjoyment of ‘Danda!’ I was not wrong.
The tightness and the humour of ‘Danda’ I didn’t see in MMIBTY. I though that MMIBTY attempted to portray key cultural practices of Onuma’s people. I felt the plot was loose and the humour was forced. The fantastic rise of Onuma and his fall from grace seemed contrived rather than a seamless sequence of events.
I’d recommend this book to those who want to know about the culture and customs of Onuma’s place. For those who know, the connecting stories are not that appealing. Again, my review is tainted by my enjoyment of ‘Danda’ by the same author.
The tightness and the humour of ‘Danda’ I didn’t see in MMIBTY. I though that MMIBTY attempted to portray key cultural practices of Onuma’s people. I felt the plot was loose and the humour was forced. The fantastic rise of Onuma and his fall from grace seemed contrived rather than a seamless sequence of events.
I’d recommend this book to those who want to know about the culture and customs of Onuma’s place. For those who know, the connecting stories are not that appealing. Again, my review is tainted by my enjoyment of ‘Danda’ by the same author.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews