It’s almost two in the morning and I’ve spent almost half an hour going through my 2013 books. I couldn’t pick a favorite, each book I read was a favorite in its own special way. I’m the kind of reader who develops a bond with whatever it is am reading. I’ve discovered over the years that I choose what to read depending on the mood am in at that particular time. If am in the mood for something intellectually stimulating and fun at the same time then I opt for the politics and any serious reads covering politics. As a student of comparative politics; most of my choices tend to lean that way. I’ve discovered that it’s the only way to stay informed and relevant in the field.

So what did I read this year that’s worth sharing? I was going through my 2013 reads and am extremely disappointed as I write this. I didn’t get to read as much as I would have loved to. I’ll be very honest and admit that I’ve only read eleven books so far (half read books don’t count; neither do school books). Having a fulltime job and being a fulltime student has made it difficult for me to read as much as I would have loved to.

For some reason, my choice of books this year kept taking me to the Middle East; a region I’ve been obsessed with ever since I read about Pharaoh’s dreams and the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt in the bible. Queen Noor of Jordan, Khaled Hosseini and Atiq Rahimi made me feel like I had been to Jordan, Iran and Afghanistan.

Leap of Faith by Queen Noor

I bought Queen Noor’s Leap of Faith by accident after getting lost in Palma de Majorca’s narrow streets and ending up in a second hand English book store. I must have spent an hour there going through the wide selections of books. I was spoilt for choices and I reluctantly picked Queen Noor’s book because the old store owner wanted to close the store for his siesta.

I started reading the book the same day and I just couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with the journey she took me on. From her childhood as Arab-American Lisa Halaby, growing up in affluent parts of LA and New York, her years at Princeton, to meeting King Hussein of Jordan and becoming Queen Noor of Jordan. The emotions she put into her memoir said it all; she had found her way into the heart of the King and his people.

The Queen not only tells her love story but that of the Jordanian people too. Their search for peace among Arab states; their struggles and all the fascinating things that made her fall in love with Jordan and its people. For those interested in the Middle East, I’d highly recommend this book. It’s a highly informative book that gives the reader a clear understanding of Jordanian politics, Jordanian struggles and various Middle Eastern issues. The private discussions she held with her late husband made me understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even better, and why no solution has worked since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

You’d be surprised at how connected to the Middle East you’ll feel after reading Queen Noor’s memoir. I was checking out tickets to Amman even before I was done reading the book; only to realize that getting a visa to Jordan was a nightmare. I guess it’s the Queens description of the exotic and fascinating kingdom that aroused some wanderlust in me. Am yet to visit Jordan, and if I ever do, I’ll definitely visit all the beautiful landmarks she described in her memoir.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Ever read a book that left you confused? That’s how I felt while reading Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed. I had read Hosseini’s first two works and I couldn’t wait to read his third. His two previous books had created pictures for me. I felt like I had been to Afghanistan after reading The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I learnt quite a bit from his first two works. Hosseini told his country’s beautiful history through the characters in his books; from the times of King Amanullah Khan, to Zahir Shah, to life under the dreaded Taliban.

For some reason, I thought his third book would take me from where A Thousand Splendid Suns had left off. It did in a way but not entirely. The book begins in 1952, with the tale of a man on a long journey across the Afghan dessert to Kabul with his son and daughter. The man has taken the journey to Kabul in order to sell off his daughter to a wealthy couple. It is the separation of the man’s children’s that starts of a complex tale.

Unlike his previous two books, I found it hard to be emotionally involved with the characters in this book. The characters kept changing and I really had a hard time keeping up with the constant plot turns. On one chapter Hosseini has you in Kabul, Paris in the next one, and on to some Greek island in the next. The start was really good but the complex plot twists had me struggling to finish it. This is a book that requires total focus if one is to understand the entire plot. I’m actually considering reading it one more time.

Peace from Broken Pieces by Iyanla Vanzant

I hate to admit it, but I read this book in 2012 and read it two more times this year. If you are struggling to find yourself, this is the book for you. Vanzant begins her story by narrating how she lost her daughter to cancer. She then takes the reader back to her childhood, struggling to raise her children as a single mother while working her way through college, to finally making it as a New York Times best-selling author.

Just when the reader thinks Vanzant has finally found peace, the story takes a different turn. Her marriage ends in divorce by email, she ends up flat broke, her million-dollar home facing foreclosure and contemplating suicide. It’s from Vanzant’s loss that the reader gets taken on a journey through self-awareness and spirituality. I loved the book because it felt like an inspiring lesson about rising from the ashes of our past. If you’ve ever been to some dark places in your life; this is the book for you. It will make you reflect, cry and inspire you.

A Journey Through Darkness by Margareth Maganga

I was lucky to receive A Journey Through Darkness from the author herself, during the LetsRead launch that was held in Dar es Salaam in October. I had flown to Dar es Salaam to attend the launch and I could tell Miss Maganga was an inspiration the minute we started talking. We had a few minutes to chitchat before the ceremony begun and it was then that I knew I would enjoy reading her book. She gave me a signed copy which I begun reading the same day but had to stop because I didn’t want my sister to see me crying all the time.

I resumed my reading on the flight home, and it was then that I understood the message Miss Maganga had written on my copy. “Life has a way of throwing curve balls at us, but it’s for you to grab the ball and throw it in the direction you want.”  Miss Maganga went to bed and woke up blind five years ago. She could have given up that day; instead she held on to her dreams, went on to partially recover her sight and got herself a law degree. I’d highly recommend her book. It’s a fun and familiar read, describing places that are familiar to us. If you are thinking of supporting our own authors; Miss Maganga’s book would be a great start.

So, what else did I read in 2013 and which books were a total bore? Fifty Shades of Grey takes the number one spot. Why did I waste my money on buying it?  I’ll share all the other titles in part two of this aticle. I’ll also share the books that I didn’t get to finish, why I didn’t finish them and what I’m planning to read this year. I’ve already started working on my 2014 reads, and most of them happen to be recommendations from friends. I’m curious to find out whether they are my kind of books. If there’s one thing I know for sure; then it’s the fact that books have taken me places and they will keep taking me places. Knowing that makes me open a book even after a 16-hour long day!

Upon reflection, this is the year that I have read fewer books since 2007. I have read 15 books. This means a little more than one book a month average.  I think it’s a wake up call that I need to balance work and reading (or is it life and reading)? For the last 11 years (2001-2012) I was a university student and teacher. Thus, a change from 100% academic environment to management consultancy work might have contributed to a slow down, which I need to remedy asap.

Well, apart from books, (a consolation?) I have read and analysed a number of academic articles, and government reports (in particular all Tanzanian Poverty and Human Development Reports -Tanzania) for various writing projects.

Here is the list: (I reviewed some- click the attached link on their titles).

1. Ambrose S., & Brinkley D., Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938 (New York: Penguin Books, 1997)
2. Armstrong K., Muhammad: Prophet For Our Time (London: Harper Perennial, 2007) 249pp
3. Chang H., & Rowthorn R., (Eds.) The Role of the State in Economic Change (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995) 302pp
4. Collier P., The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It (Oxford: Oxfrod University Press, 2007) 209pp
5. Dostoyevsky F. (Translated by David McDuff), The Idiot (London: Penguin Books, 2004) 732pp
6. Drucker P., The Essential Drucker: The Best of Sixty Years of Peter Drucker’s Essential Writing on Management (New York: Harper, 2008) 357pp
7. Hochschild A., King Leopold’s Ghost : A story of greed, terror, and  heroism in colonial Africa (Boston: Mariner Books, 1999) 376pp
8. Kelsall T., Business, Politics, and the State in Africa: Challenging the Orthodoxies on Growth and Transformation (London: Zed Books, 2013) 1990pp
9. Kissinger H., On China (Toronto: Penguin Group, 2012) 604pp
10.  Kotter J.P, Leading Change (Massachuset: Harvard Business Review Press, 2012), 194pp
11. Meredith M., The State of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence (London: Free Press, 2006) 752pp
12. Nyerere J., Freedom and Unity: Uhuru na Umoja (Dar-es-Salaam: Oxford University Press, 1970) 366pp
13. Ramadan T., Islam and the Arab Awakening (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012) 245pp
14. Stiglitz J., & Kaldor M.,(Eds.) The Quest for Security: Protection Without Protectionism and the Challenge of Global Governance (New York: Columbia University Press, 2013)
15. Syrett M., Successful Strategy Execution: How to Keep Your Business Goals on Target (Suffolk:  The Economist, 2007) 164pp

The most enlightening of all these books was:

Armstrong K., Muhammad: Prophet For Our Time (London: Harper Perennial, 2007) 249pp … and I thank my dear friend for giving it to me to read…bless him 🙂

Written by: Shirumisha Kwayu

Reflections on:

Elinor Sisulu,( 2011). Walter & Albertina Sisulu; In our lifetime. New Africa Books, pp. 688

On Thursday 5^th September 2013 as I was coming out from the exam room feeling relieved from exam stress and with the joy completing my master’s program, I walked on my way back home very energetic. As I was walking I ironically (as I had finished the program,) noticed books laying outside a coffee shop located near Loughborough town. I decided to  stop and look into the books. My subconscious intention was to find something to read for pleasure and to keep me busy in the coming ‘free’ days. It was indeed a good decision, as when I look at the book, one stroke my eyes like a light- it was none other but ‘Walter & Albertina Sisulu: in our lifetime’ by Elinor Sisulu, the daughter in law for Walter and Albertina Sisulu. My attention was drawn to the book with the desire to better understand the history of our continent. I was very grateful to find it on sale just for a pound.  But the book and the information in is a lot more worthy. A million time worthy. The book is thick with considerable primary account of the history of South Africa liberation. Personally, I have learnt so so much from the book. Here is what I want to share with you with regards to the books and the life of Walter & Albertina Sisulu.

The book starts by explaining the family tree of Walter and Albertina then it proceeds to their marriage. It moves from family to their role as key players in the struggle against the inhuman apartheid system in South Africa. It then narrates the years that Sisulu spent in prison and finally ends with Walter working hard for the African National Congress (ANC).

Walter and Albertina were active anti- apartheid activist. Walter served as a secretary for the ANC. He was among the accused in the Rivonia Trial and he was  subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment alongside Mandela and others include Ahmed Kathrada.  Him, Kathrada and Mandela spent time in Robben Island. Albertina on her side was an attendant in political meeting escorting his husband Walter but later on she became a public political figure. She started the ANC women league in 1955. Albertina faced continuous harassment from the police and bans for gathering around people. The book narrates in details how the family of Sisulu fought against apartheid and the price they paid for the struggle.

Below, I put forth some lessons that our and next African generation can learn from leaders such as Sisulu:

First and foremost the generation of Sisulu stood up for the ideals that they believed. In most times peoples words are antagonist with their acts. Walter, Albertina, Mandela, et al were people who stood up for what they believe regardless of the surrounding situation. A prove of this is the famous speech at the Rivonia trial on 20 April 1964 which Mandela said he was ready to die if its needs be.

Second, the fact that Walter and Albertina (also Mandela and Winnie and others) had their good jobs and young families but still were committed to the struggle that risked their  lives and denied them comfort is a big lesson to our generation. They lost everything they had and continued to fight until they saw victory.  Here is the lesson of unselfishness and commitment.

Third, they did not fight for liberation out of personal gain but it was for the common good. For instance at one point the ANC decided to increase the salary of Walter from £5 to £10. He did not accept. Walter challenged the party ‘how is it possible for them to increase while the organization failed even to pay £5 pound in its bills? This shows that freedom fighters were dedicated to common good and not personal gain.  They led by examples. In our generations, how many African leaders are able to challenge their increasing high salaries at the cost of mass poverty?

Forth, the generation of Walter and Albertina Sisulu understood the importance of education in the struggles. Even in prison Walter Sisulu fulfilled his desire to learn. When they were in Robben Island they worked together and learned from each other. They even fought for having classes though they faced strong resistance from the prison wardens. They were given hard work to ensure that they didn’t have time and energy to learn but still they learned every day. They emphasized education for their families and followed up while they were in prison. This came to bear fruits as their children became companions in the struggle.

There a lot of things that we can learn from Walter and Albertina’s Sisulu life such things are all encompassed into their sacrifice, commitment, integrity, and humbleness.

This is my reflection to the book. I emphasize that our generation and next generation African leaders must revisit our ideals and ask ourselves if we can make it. We are here because of what leaders such as Sisulu, Mandela, Nyerere, Kaunda, et al did. We have to remember that.  We should ask ourselves what is our struggle, and get committed to the ideals to the point that we will be ready to die for them if need be.

If you have time read Walter and Albertina’s book to learn more from these two noble people. I cannot say anything further because I am afraid it will be disservice to these great leaders.