Reflection There is a contemporary common phrase in Tanzania, “Shikamoo something/somebody” which connotes a respect for something or somebody. Although Shikamoo is a common greeting tied to respecting older people than you, it is now popular used to acknowledge respect or admiration to somebody’s work. So to cut this short…I start by saying “Shikamoo Chimamanda”. […]

Once again Chinua Achebe, one of the most, if not the top African writer, has brought into the literature another type of non-fiction genre. In this book, Achebe coherently presents his personal experience of colonial Nigeria, post-colonial Nigeria, Biafra War, and politics after the war. Although most pages are dedicated to the Biafra War, the […]

“It was so sad to be a wiser man than one’s nation…One cannot feel bitterness towards one’s homeland. Better to be mistaken along with the nation than to be too right with those who tell it hard truths”p.148 The above quote is cited in the book. Renan, one of the 19th Century Orientalists whose analysis […]

For the 50th post of this blog, I deeply thought of what to write or which book to review. I then decided that I would write a reflection on the famous George Orwell’s Animal Farm.  I kept asking myself if I am capable of reviewing this, almost, century-old masterpiece! In a synopsis, Animal Farm is […]

****In Short, I will say Americanah is a tapestry of a disturbingly beautiful love story woven with so many threads of different colours that reflect the daily realities of life in a globalized world.  As I was looking through my friends’ reading lists for 2013, I noticed a number of books that I might also […]

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 […]