I HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, AND I STILL DON’T HAVE A SATISFACTORY ANSWER. I ALSO DON’T HAVE A HOST OF INSPIRING TITLES THAT I CAN SUGGEST YOU EXPLORE AS MY RESEARCH HASN’T YIELDED TOO MANY OPTIONS.
But a recent review caught my eye: How does a writer tell the story of a traumatised nation without being unremittingly bleak? NoViolet Bulawayo manages it by forming a cast of characters so delightful and joyous that the reader is seduced by their antics at the same time as finding out about the country’s troubles. (The Independent)
Although NoViolet is not South African, I thought to myself, ‘Yes! This is what we need!’ Her debut novel, We Need New Names, was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize, and she is the first black African woman to be nominated for this award.
The novel has been very well received and it as inspirational to read as is her personal story.
Find out more about the novel and author:
The Wall Street Journal: As part of her transformation to being a writer, Ms. Bulawayo decided at university she needed a new name herself, adopting her pen name from Elizabeth Tshele. Violet was her mother’s name. She passed away when Ms. Bulawayo was 18 months old. The “no” in the southern African language Ndebele means “with,” so in essence the first name suggests she’ll always be “with” her mother Violet. Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s second-largest city and is where Ms. Bulawayo spent her childhood and still calls home.
LA Review of books: Review and interview
What has NoViolet read recently? I’m reading The Polygamist by Sue Nyathi. I’ve just reread The Hairdresser of Harare. I met with Tendai (Huchu) in London and I got his book. I’ve also been reading In the Skin of A Lion by Michael Ondaatje, The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat and The People Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu.
www.weaverpresszimbabwe.com
MacMo