harmless fun chick-lit. nothing spectacular or extraordinary but readable and fun
a lying by the pool kind of book i read in two sittings
i like that South Africa stories exist that are not about the issues of South Africa. In this one a South African girls dashes off to New York to lick her wounds, essentially. She does what young people in a foreign city do – works, likes in a crap place, makes friends, drinks, does drugs and has inappropriate sex. Like we all did in our 20s – most of us in London. Oh, and misses Five Roses tea.
She doesn’t angst about race or AIDS or poverty or the state of the education system. She is not politically South African – there is no commentary in the book, it is just a story about a girl in New York who happens to be South Africa.
i am always so glad when i find African books that are simply books from Africa.
I shall get Nick’s other offering This Way Up to read on an aeroplane – this book would have been perfect for that i think
I’ve been thinking recently about trying to find some African books that are simply set in Africa, rather than being about issues. I think there is a bias in the books that make it to the U.S. and that we are more likely to get the books about African Issues. I get a lot out of those books, but I would also like to read some books that are just about life that happen to be set in Africa. Do you have any suggestions of other books like this? (I’d prefer something set in Africa rather than New York…)
oh gosh yes – there are lots. and lots. If you can hang on for a few days or so i will get a really good list together. I have a friend who is an English lecturer and focuses on post-colonial African literature. from all over Africa. He is away at the moment but when he gets back i plan to get a list from him of things worth reading from African authors about living and being Africa but not necessarily about issues.
I coudl suggest a few but i think it is worth waiting for his input. there are some really good African authors just waiting to be read.
This Million Miles is not counting as my South African book – i read it cos i am off to NYC in December 🙂
I also saw an interesting book by an Egyptian yesterday at the library – will go back and get it and then let you know about it.
Reading Palestinian book at the moment – loving how terms are not being explained, as though the book is not specifically for the western english non-muslim audience
good wednesday to you 🙂
Wow, that sounds wonderful, thanks! I’m sure I’ll wander off and make my own selections too (sometimes I like to read about issues!), but it would be great to get ideas of good books-about-life from Africa.
I actually just read a book for Egypt- Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi. Books for particular countries seems to be coming to me in pairs lately!
It’s interesting how books vary in terms of what is explained to the reader and what isn’t. I have a similar response to yours- when the terms aren’t explained it makes me feel like the book is aimed at its local audience, rather than an international/western one.