Great African Reads discussion

Black Mamba Boy is our November selection!

I read this book a little while ago - so I am hoping when others start to comment it will refresh my memory though I know all of the intimate details regarding the story.
I do remember I enjoyed the history of the story and how the European countries and their quest for conquest and this land area and its people were pawns in the battle.

Hooray I have a copy!

Jenny wrote: "Hooray I have a copy!"

i do too!

but now i have to figure out how to juggle all my new reads RIGHT NOW. :)

Marieke wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Hooray I have a copy!"

i do too!

but now i have to figure out how to juggle all my new reads RIGHT NOW. :)"
Seriously, me too. That and NaNoWriMo!

Jenny wrote: "Marieke wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Hooray I have a copy!"

i do too!

but now i have to figure out how to juggle all my new reads RIGHT NOW. :)"
Seriously, me too. That and NaNoWriMo!"

oh man...i tried NaNoWriMo two years ago and failed miserably and then last year had too much writing at work so i really couldn't do it. but i feel like this year i should use it as impetus just to start writing daily (about ANYTHING) because i think it's a good thing to do, whether it's intended to turn into something or not. :)

I do it for reasons other than wanting to be a published writer. (I actually blogged about it, if you're interested). I really enjoy it!!

Jenny wrote: "I do it for reasons other than wanting to be a published writer. (I actually blogged about it, if you're interested). I really enjoy it!!"

indeed...i think that because i have to write almost all day at work, it's hard to write just for myself at home, if that makes sense? but i have less writing going on right now, so i want to take a stab at it, but without the goal of meeting the november goal-thing. my goal is just to write a little bit every day...writing that is not work-related. i will definitely check out your blog...

i loved all your points, especially the training aspect. i think this year i'm training for next year. :)

Started this morning.... With the little black mamba boy... on his trip...

Slightly dissapointing after having read all the positive reviews and having received several literary prizes. Knowing that this story is based on the true story of Nadifa's father makes it intrigueing. However, for me the long walk to Wales -paved with misery and difficulties- lacked depth in Jama's character. I could not feel the pain and did not experience the attrocities of the war and the humiliation he'd faced. Therefore 3 stars.

David wrote: "Slightly dissapointing after having read all the positive reviews and having received several literary prizes. Knowing that this story is based on the true story of Nadifa's father makes it intrigu..."

While I also rated the book a "3" - I think I liked the book a little bit more than you did. I too wanted a little bit more than depth to Jama. But I guess what I was struck by is Jama's optimism - but then he is a child and also since based on a family story which had a good outcome, this was probably the attitude that was conveyed to the author. I am thinking it would be a different story if her father was not successful.

One of things that I remember from the book - was how willing clansmen were willing share the little they had or to point him in the right direction based on the information they had at a time.

While the atrocities of the war was not explicit - I did get the feeling when reading that the English and Italians had no regard for the native people or the destruction they were doing to the land and or culture. It was like the native people did not exist unless they could serve their purpose.

Just got the book and hope to start on it this week. Hope to catch up!

Andrea wrote: "Just got the book and hope to start on it this week. Hope to catch up!"

i'm behind too...on everything. :(

Okay, I finally started on this. I'm doing it as an audio book, so I'm not sure where I am page wise, but I'm at the point when he has left his grandmother's house and has been picked up after fainting in the street by the kindly couple. A couple of things I've noticed so far are that the description is very well-done and also that it ties in with something I was just discussing with a relative over the weekend, the importance of the "grapevine" communication before telephones, reliable mail etc. My husband grew up in rural Kenya, not Somalia, but he has told stories about relatives who traveled away from home and lost contact, the use of word of mouth to trace people, etc. The person I was talking with pointed out that it's a cultural concept that is quickly dying with the use of cell phones and worth writing about to preserve the memory of how it worked. Also, so far I'm finding the clans interesting and would like to know more about them.

I've finished the book and I enjoyed it. It kept me reading even though another book I'd been waiting for arrived in the meantime. However, I felt the last part of the book, from the time he arrives in England, was the weakest. His chance meeting with his father figure and his sudden decision to return home when he discovers he has a child aren't given enough depth for me. I find Jama's optimism and courage believable and somewhat endearing early in the book, but by now I'm a little annoyed by it. I think it could be perfectly believable that the news of a child could completely change a person's plans, but I don't see it growing out of this character.

What I liked best about the book was the rich view of historical events that I knew about already but had never thought about quite so personally. The idea of "nationalism" as it is raised by Jama and by the Jewish refugees and others is still an important one for so many people. What does "home" mean and what does it mean to make a new home? If other people identify you as "Somali" but you don't feel like that's where you belong, then what/who are you? For me, the connection between the experience of Jama and the other Somalis and African immigrants today is interesting.

I appreciate the fact that this novel is based upon the author's father's true experiences. I found the historical component of this book very interesting. My main complaints about the book had to do with the narration and the pacing. The narration, I felt, kept me at arms length and made it difficult for me to connect with the characters as I felt I should. The pacing was all over the place. It was sometimes difficult to gauge the passing of time. I also felt that some parts of Jama's journeys felt rushed, especially toward the end.