Homegoing (2016)

I found Yaa Gyansi's novel Homegoing on my to-read list when I was choosing a title for a bookclub with my teenage niece and her mother at the beginning of lockdown. It made it on my list via bookstagram (though I can't quite recall who exactly made the recommendation). The novel was published by Penguin in 2016 and is 220 pages long (Kindle edition noted 315 pages). It consists of two parts with 14 chapters. The story spans a period of three hundred years, following the descendants of two Ghanaian sisters. I will explore the format and style of the book as well as discuss some of the key themes alongside my personal reflections. 

The novel begins with an Akan proverb that notes the importance of every member of the family. Gyansi then provides a family tree for the reader to refer back to. The structure of the novel follows a generational format, where each chapter follows a character of the next generation of one of the family lines. As such, the chapters are named after the focalised character. Homegoing is written with a third person narrator who focalises into the central character of the chapter, and through their interactions the reader engages with auxiliary characters. I found that this generational approach to the chapters was really effective and powerful in exploring how social conditions changed (if at all). It also permitted the author to navigate and demonstrate the effects of intergenerational traumas as well as lost lineage and identity. Since each character represents a familial generation as well as a socio-political environment, their chapter can almost be read as a short story, albeit interwoven with the preceding and succeeding narratives. 

Homegoing begins in Ghana at the beginning of colonisation and is implicated in the slave trade. The social dynamics are complex and hierarchies are being continuously challenged. This environment brings to the fore the dehumanising and racist discourse at the heart of these injustices. As one family line remains in Ghana and the other is sent to toil in America, Gyansi demonstrates how whiteness, whether in the context of slavery or colonisation and missionary efforts, shaped the characters' experiences on the two continents. That being said, she also highlights how colonisation and slavery have morphed to take on other forms in the present (i.e. modern day prison systems). It provokes debate as to how deeply rooted the problem really is to this day. 

Women and womanhood are a huge theme in the novel, and they explored from so many angles that my short paragraph definitely will not do it justice (perhaps someone can write an essay or thesis on the matter instead). However, I do still want to note some significant points. The matrilineal line of descendants is a distinct reminder of the status of women and the power of womanhood in society, especially given that they are also subject to violence, and risk being treated as assets, thus making them vulnerable. These oppositions consequently demonstrate the complexity of womanhood as we witness empowered femininity and subjugated femininity. In addition to this, we see how the trauma women experience is passed down through generations, compounding the struggles each generation inherits. 

I was pleased to read Gyansi's representation of (historic) tribal Africa, where polygamous households are a norm and not looked upon condescendingly. As with all family structures, there are complexities but it was refreshing to visualise a co-operative society with joint families where there is mutual respect between men and women, each bringing to the table their own contributions for the prosperity of the whole family. No doubt it is also a competitive society where tribes and tribesmen compete for strength, reputation and power, yet there is a notion of responsibility towards others that is enshrined in this, combatting excess selfishness.

Naturally, sex is a prerequisite to form generations in a family line and therefore sexual encounters are fairly frequent in the novel. I mention this in case you are selecting this for younger readers, as I was unaware of this when choosing to read this with my 13-year old niece. Her mother also read the book and decided she would rather her daughter read the book at a later age, as sexual violence is also explored. Otherwise, I found that these scenes were always relevant and carefully written, unlike some texts that are rather gratuitous and vulgar in this regard. Gyansi represents the nuances of sexual relations, as they demonstrate power dynamics between couples as well as sources of pleasure, or how they play an important spiritual and cultural role. I also considered Gyansi's writing to be sensitive to "forbidden" love and notions of homosexual desire.  

Overall, Homegoing is an excellent novel that everyone ought to read for both the content and the writing style (age permitting). It deals with deep emotions and a realm of complex situations and scenarios that underline the complexity of history and the present of Black lives. Of course it is also heartbreaking to read this knowing that it is "merely" fiction, thus the reality of injustice must be significantly worse, however unpalatable that may seem. This is a valuable book because of the story it tells and it is also well-written and engaging in its form and style. The stories are a powerful reminder of just a fraction of the dark history of domination this world has seen. 

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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The Sultan's Daughter (2020)

An ARC of this fantasy novella, written by P.E. Gilbert was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. The Sultan's Daughter is a quick read of 11 chapters and around 50 pages. It will be self-published by the author in July 2020 in print edition and kindle edition. I will offer a brief, spoiler-free outline of the novella before addressing a few key themes and my thoughts on how they were addressed. 

The story is a set in a pre-modern, oriental fantasy world, which has its own "Charted Map" found at the beginning of the book. This region forms a kingdom and experiences conflict due to power struggles linked to bloodline but more significantly relating to religious beliefs. The initial scene introduces the dying Sultan in his deathbed bestowing heavy responsibilities onto his daughter's shoulders. The rest of the plot relates to how she executes these last wishes. Gilbert provides several discussion questions at the end of the book to provoke further reflection on some of the plot's themes and events. 

The central theme of the novella is the fight between good and bad, which in this case is between the religiously devout and the religious fanatics of the imaginary faith that believes in Abyars as a deity. It is striking that the "hardline" Aybars' laws include lashing for fornication and cutting off hands for stealing and one of their erroneous desires is to want to wage a holy war to regain access to the holy city of Zenith. These parallels to things attributed to some Muslims and/ or governments or groups is hard to ignore. Ultimately we find two Eastern sects fighting each other for faith-based reasons, and these oppositions are not particularly nuanced or subtle. Interestingly the good side, show little evidence of actual devotion. There is much political commentary to be made in this respect, but I will not delve into this in this post. 

As the title suggests, this novella is about a young woman, namely Nalini, who is the Sultan's daughter. Nalini's character evolves significantly through the rapid turns of events.  She begins as a rather submissive and overly-obedient daughter. She later develops into a determined and, arguably, stubborn, albeit insecure, character. Personally, I did not find her character to be amiable. While I admit that not all protagonists need to be beautiful, I found it noteworthy that Nalini is described as one with "little beauty" and has a "darker complexion" than her husband Emilio, the fair-skinned heathen, who happens to be a more sympathetic character than Nalini herself. These characterisations are problematic especially when considering a post-colonial reading of texts. 

Moreover, with a largely male character cast and central female protagonist, there appears to be an attempt to assert feminine empowerment. This power is bestowed upon a woman by men, and Nalini is hesitant to accept it but does so mainly because it is not prohibited in the religious laws. While she is hard-working and demonstrates immense self-restraint, sometimes it is to unhealthy degrees and makes me question her actual competence. She seems to go from being an extremely passive feminine stereotype to someone trying to avoid association to femininity through any expression of weakness. In my opinion she is yet to reach her full potential by the end of the story. This transition of feminine expression requires more depth and nuance. 

The writing style of the novel is fluid. Gilbert makes use of a third-person narrator who focalises into Nalini's experience of events. In this respect, the novella's perspective is highly influenced by her subjectivities, including her inner turmoil and outer appearances. Due to this dual access, it is easier to criticise her more precisely than the other characters. I found Gilbert's discussion questions to be a a nice way to engage more thoughtfully in a short read. 

Overall, the novella was a quick read, with an eventful plot. In some ways it seems like it is not just an oriental fantasy but also an orientalist fantasy. Gilbert deals with major, complex issues and the length of the work may have been a restriction in fully exploring them with due justice. I would like to thank the author P.E. Gilbert for the opportunity to honestly review his hard work.

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Is this a novella genre that interests you? What do you normally like to read? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear about your reading preferences. 

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Le Cri des Oiseaux Fous (2000)

This autobiographical novel was first introduced to me in my final year of my Bachelors (2014) in one of my French modules; it was one of the primary texts and one of the first full-length novels in French I was to read. I really enjoyed reading it at the time, and even revising the text during exam season! So I decided to re-read the novel to begin reading more in French again and to see how my relationship with the text has developed. I am writing this review in English for fellow French-reading anglophones, though there is a French version too. 

My edition was published by Le Serpent à Plumes in 2002, though it was originally published by Lanctot Éditeur in 2000. Dany Laferrière's 346-paged novel is divided into short time-stamped chapters during the course of 24 hours, which are the last 24 hours the author experiences in his homeland Haiti before being exiled indefinitely. It is written with a first-person narrative, following the protagonist's thoughts where he offers a very personal perception of people, things and events. I will explore some of the key themes and reflections in the book alongside my own reading experience. 

Vieux Os (Old Bones), La Ferrière's pseudonym, is driven to exile following the unprecedented assassination of his close friend Gasner. This assassination sets the scene of 1976 politics in Haiti, a country living under the harsh dictatorship of Baby Doc (Jean-Claude Duvalier) which is in itself a legacy of Papa Doc (Francois Duvalier). Therefore this a highly political novel, as we learn much about the culture and lifestyle this dictatorship creates. Vieux Os compares the two dictatorships with the latter seemingly even more corrupt than the former, yet both with their own approach to brutality and control. Such torture and suffering is no doubt feared yet there are notions of whether it is better to be tortured by your own (Haitian government) or by others, referring to suffering at the hands of white people in foreign countries or even during the period of enslavement. Does it matter who is subjecting you to mistreatment?

Gasner's assassination raises many reflections on the nature of friendship and various types of friendships that Vieux Os holds close to his heart. We learn the secret "codes" they hold between themselves as well as the rarity of good, safe friendships in a world ridden with spies, traitors and "tonton macoutes", the dictatorship's police force. Since friendship is the catalyst for exile in many ways, it cannot go without analysis in our very contemplative protagonist's mind. 

As we learn about Haiti's culture through our protagonist, we are soon exposed to its unique religious environment where two dominant religions reside: Catholicism and Vaudou (or Vodou). This religious dichotomy not only represents ancient practises versus colonial teachings, it also shows different approaches to faith and seeking strength and hope in the tense environment. Laferrière does not shy away from intertwining Vaudou gods or beliefs in his writing, even in subtle ways when recalling his deceased friend thus engaging the reader with the religion.

Women play an important role in Haiti and in Vieux Os' last day in the country. We are introduced to many different types of women, from the saintly, grief-stricken mothers to vulgar temptresses and many somewhere on the spectrum between those extremes. Thus Laferrière explores lust and temptation as well as love and commitment. We learn how women are integral to keeping homes and the country running, as men are so often being persecuted. Laferrière shines a light on the strength of womanhood in such extreme conditions. 

The novel also delves into the world of prostitution, a strategic industry nurtured by the dictatorship to contribute to weakening the population. Moreover, prostitutes have access to a world of deep, dark secrets and are thus valuable sources. In some ways we see the human side of such a vulnerable and potentially brutal career.

Overall, I found it a pleasure to read this autobiographical novel. Laferrière explores a vast range of themes connected to his life and nation from family and friendship to life and death. Because this novel is based on the author's real life experiences and many of the characters are presumed to be real to some capacity or another, I was left with the desire to know more about what happened to the author himself and his parents- which would mean I need to look for the corresponding books in his long series. I enjoyed the writing style as I found it amusing in places, which balanced out some of the sorrow

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Le Cri des Oiseaux Fous (2000) - français

Ce roman autobiographique écrit par Dany Laferrière m'a été présenté pour la première fois pendant ma licence de français. Il m'avait beaucoup plu à l'époque et je voulais le lire à nouveau afin de voir si mes impressions ont changé depuis. Mon édition est celle du “Serpent à Plumes” de 2002, mais le roman a été publiée une première fois par Lanctot Éditeur en 2000. Cette oeuvre de 346 pages est divisée en petits chapitres horodatés, en poursuivant les dernières 24 heures à Haiti avant l'exil indéfini de l'auteur. Il est écrit à la première personne et suit les pensées profondes du protagoniste qui propose des réflexions très personnelles à propos des choses, des gens et des événements. J'examinerai plusieurs thèmes importants et donnerai ma réaction personnelle dans ce compte-rendu. 

Vieux Os, le pseudonyme de l'auteur dans le roman, est obligé de partir de son pays en exil après l'assassinat de son ami proche, Gasner. Les assassinats et l'exil sont des circonstances bien connues dans le contexte politique de Haiti sous la dictature de Baby Doc (Jean-Claude Duvalier), héritier du pays après le décès de son père Papa Doc (Francois Duvalier). Il s'agit donc de la politique de la dictature et ses conséquences dans la culture nationale. Vieux Os compare les deux dictatures où la première semblait être moins corrompue que la seconde, mais où chacune a eu sa manière de surveillance et de brutalité sur le peuple. Une réflexion approfondie amène la question importante suivante : vaut-il mieux être torturé par les siens (son propre gouvernement ou ses congénères) ou par des étrangers (rappelant l'oppression de l'esclavage, la colonisation et même la domination raciale)? Comment cela importe-t-il? 

En perdant soudainement un ami proche, Vieux Os se retrouve à analyser ses amitiés variées qu'il tient à coeur. Nous apprenons ses "codes" privés entre amis et aussi comment les bonnes amitiés, sans danger, sont si rares dans un monde rempli d'espions, de traîtres et de tontons macoutes, la police de la dictature. Les réflexions à propos de l'amitié de notre protagoniste contemplatif ne peuvent être ignorées car l'amitié est le catalyseur même de son exil.

La culture de Haiti révèle un environnement religieux unique qui consiste de deux religions principales: le Catholicisme et le Vaudou. Ces deux religions représentent à la fois les anciennes pratiques et les enseignements coloniaux; nous voyons aussi des approches différentes pour trouver l'espoir et la force dans les conditions difficiles. Laferrière entrelace son histoire avec les dieux et les croyances Vaudou de manière subtile et évidente. 

Les femmes jouent un rôle important dans le pays et durant les dernières 24 heures de Vieux Os dans le pays. Il nous présente des femmes de toutes sortes, des mamans angéliques accablées de douleur aux séductrices impétueuses, et toute une variété entre ces deux extrêmes. Ainsi, Laferrière nous présente une exploration du désir et de la tentation ainsi que l'amour pur et l'engagement. Les femmes semblent faire fonctionner le pays et leurs maisons pendant que les hommes font face à la persécution politique, ce qui souligne la force de la féminité dans des conditions extrêmes.

Le roman plonge aussi dans le monde de la prostitution, un secteur stratégique de la part de la dictature pour affaiblir la population. De plus, les prostituées sont des sources d’informations précieuses grâce à leur accès à un monde rempli des secrets les plus profonds. Nous découvrons aussi un côté humain à une profession tellement vulnérable et potentiellement brutale. 

Dans l'ensemble, le roman était encore une fois un plaisir à lire et j'ai pu l'apprécier différemment cette fois-ci comme mon français s’est amélioré. Laferrière étudie un grand nombre de thèmes liés à sa vie et son pays, de la famille et l'amitié à la vie et la mort. La présence de passages amusants compense la tristesse poignante. Parce que ce roman est inspiré de la vie réelle de l'auteur, je me suis retrouvée extrêmement curieuse de la suite des événements surtout par rapport à ses relations avec ses parents. Cette curiosité me poussera à chercher les romans correspondants que Laferrière a écrit.   

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Est-ce que vous avez lu ce roman? Comment vous l’avez trouvez? J’aimerais bien lire vos pensées ci-dessous! 

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire (1998)

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire by Jason Goodwin was first published in 1998 by Chatto & Windus. The edition I read was published by Vintage (Random House) in 1999. My kindle edition comprises of 370 pages and it is divided into three parts, a total of 25 chapters with added Epilogue, a list of Ottoman Sultans, an Ottoman Chronology and Glossary at the end. This review is exceptional and I hesitated whether to write it at all, since I have not finished reading the whole book, and may not ever do so. However, I thought my reasons for halting this read were sufficient enough to be mentioned in a brief review. I will note my intentions for reading it as well as how I found it and why I stopped. 

My sister suggested we start a bookclub during our social distancing and self-isolation practises. With my brother also in the group we decided to read this book as it was on his "to-read" list as he had heard many good things about it and how it provided a good insight into Ottoman/ Turkish history. I agreed to this book because this period of history also interests me, yet I know little to nothing about it. It was also one of the cheaper options on the kindle bookstore (compared to our other candidates). I preferred the kindle option to avoid delivery logistics (waiting and over-burdening the system in this unusual climate). 

An initial critique of the book is that Goodwin failed to describe the context of Europe or Asia prior the Ottoman Empire, thus making it difficult to understand in which environment this empire emerged and how it changed the landscape of these places. We learn that the contemporary world still holds relics of this time gone by but unfortunately there is no real reference to the state of the world before Osman took power. 

In addition to this, it is also a massive shame that the root of the Empire, its values, its raison d'être and the character of its founder are hardly explored. This is apparently due to the seemingly little amount of information there is about Osman I but it seems unusual and like there was not enough justice done to discovering the foundational character of such a significantly powerful and old empire. The first two to three Ottoman leaders were not discussed in any great detail, which would have been of great interest and also would have better marked the distinction between the tribal origins to the sultanate that was later formed.  

It took me a couple of chapters to get into the writing style, but even then I found it less than engaging and far from captivating. I recognise that the Ottoman Empire spans over a vast amount of time (dating from 1300 to 1924) so this book made for an immense project in itself and it would be hardly possible to get into the minutia but even core events in the chronology were not written in a engaging manner. It felt haltingly described and somewhat patched together. In this sense I would disagree with the Time Out review that claimed that this book was "Perhaps the most readable history ever written". My sister also noted that the spelling of the names of the Ottoman leaders were inconsistent between the chronology and the actual book and were thus a tad confusing. 

When we changed books, I considered reading it alongside anyway, to not leave a book unfinished but then I decided against it because of the orientalist attitude and the misinformation shared by the writer. Three core examples of this include: 1) Goodwin attempts to describe the reason for the Sunni-Shi'a conflict and gets it completely wrong: he claims it is due to a disagreement about the Prophetic lineage coming from Ali or Fatima. (They do not disagree on this at all but differ as to whether Ali or Abu Bakr should have been the Caliph after the Prophet's demise). 2) He calls the Kaaba "the weird stone cube", which is highly disrespectful and inappropriate language. This is the direction of worship for all Muslims and marks a sacred geographical, historical and spiritual point in the world. 3) Goodwin describes the Black Stone, a corner stone in the Kaaba, as "God's eye on earth". No sane Muslim has every believed or claimed such a thing, and it is definitely not understood to serve this purpose at all. It is considered to be a sacred stone from the heavens that was initially white then darkened with the sins of mankind. It also is known to have no power, but is revered because the Prophet Muhammad showed respect towards it (i.e. kissed it). 

Since history books are an interpretation of historical events, that are substantiated through documental or other evidence, I felt like I could not really trust Goodwin's interpretation of a history I already know very little about given that he so blatantly made huge gaffes and showed his negative bias in this way. This is the main reason I did not continue reading his work, nor would I recommend it to others.

Admittedly, I only read a small percentage (my kindle told me 20%) of the book, and if my bookclub buddies had decided to proceed with the book, I would have gone along reading it. But since I did not have this commitment, I could not fully trust Goodwin's version of events, nor did I enjoy his writing style, I abandoned ship. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think? Have you ever found yourself abandoning a book? What made you do it? Let me know in the comments. 

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Extreme Economies: Survival, Failure, Future - Lessons from the World's Limits (2019)

I was honoured with a gifted copy of this book as my sister was a research assistant for the author, Richard Davies. I'm reviewing it, as with all my reviews, primarily as a personal record of my thoughts of the book and secondly to share my impressions with others who seek to read or may have already read the book in order to provoke constructive discussion. This non-fiction work was published by Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press (Penguin). I have a hardback copy, which comprises of 337 pages (without Notes and References) although the book is also available as an e-book and audiobook. I will discuss the structure of the book as well as the writing style and recurring themes or "lessons". 

Extreme Economies: Survival, Failure, Future - Lessons from the World's Limits is divided into three main parts, as the title suggests. Each part uses three case studies to illustrate distinct extreme scenarios. The first part explores "Survival: The Economics of Resilience", which is explored through three locations namely Aceh, Zaatari and Louisiana. The second part delves into "Failure: The Economics of Lost Potential", covering Darien, Kinshasa and Glasgow and finally, the third part examines the "Future: The Economics of Tomorrow", taking in example Akita, Tallinn and Santiago. Therefore we are given nine core chapters to discover the workings of poor and successful economies around the world. The heart of the book is dedicated to a collection of photos that Davies took and collected during his travels researching the locations described in each chapter. They are vivid, high-quality photos that add a valuable visual element to his detailed descriptions.

In my brief readings of texts related to economics, I have felt that it is a somewhat "cut-throat" field of study where humans are objects required to produce desired financial results and it only wants to know the statistics and numerical value of things. I definitely had my own bias against the field for such reasons and was thankfully pleasantly surprised when this presumably stats-and-figures book managed to maintain a human connection and relevance. Davies does this primarily by incorporating valuable interviews concerning the economic condition of a place with locals. 

Something I particularly liked about Davies' presentation of an economic scenario is the historical context he provides of the places he visited in order for us to better understand how they became what they are today. I found these historical "flashbacks" to be both interesting and informative. These dips into history are also rich and varied as this research offers a broad and international analysis, since the focus areas are dotted in widely different points in the world. 

I found that Davies actively seeks to find a balance to present a fair analysis of the positives and negatives of each scenario, highlighting where they counter-balance each other, or not. Significantly, Davies also explores the value and utility of informal economies and markets, which are often overlooked or even frowned upon. Often this insight opens up a window into human resilience, creativity and resourcefulness. 

To conclude, I found that it was easy and fascinating to read even for someone with no economics background. If anything, I found myself recommending the book to various people I know because of its relevance and significance to our everyday lives as well as the societies we are living in. An important lesson from this research is to recognise that human bonds are vital for prosperous societies and thus economies. 

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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The Watermelon Boys: A Novel (2018)

When I found out that my brother’s best friend’s sister had published a book, I had to get my hands on it, albeit a year late. Since, this novel has received the Betty Trask Award. The Watermelon Boys by Ruqaya Izzidien is a 349-page novel (or 352 with the Author’s Note) published in 2018 by Hoopoe, Cairo. It comprises of 57 chapters divided into three parts. I’ll firstly note the details of her award and include the book’s description (or blurb) before going into my review. Note, I read this novel in April 2019 and just gotten round to publishing my thoughts now.

Izzidien’s novel is one of the six winners of the 2019 Betty Trask Awards, bestowed annually by the prestigious Society of Authors’ Awards in recognition of the best and most promising first novels written by authors under the age of 35 in a traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style. (Source below)

Book description:

It is the winter of 1915 and Iraq has been engulfed by the First World War. Hungry for independence from Ottoman rule, Ahmad leaves his peaceful family life on the banks of the Tigris to join the British-led revolt. Thousands of miles away, Welsh teenager Carwyn reluctantly enlists and is sent, via Gallipoli and Egypt, to the Mesopotamia campaign. Carwyn’s and Ahmad’s paths cross, and their fates are bound together. Both are forever changed, not only by their experience of war, but also by the parallel discrimination and betrayal they face.

The narrator powerfully begins the novel in the first-person plural (we), implicating each of us into history before switching to a third-person voice, focalising into Ahmad’s experience, but then later also that of Carwyn, To a lesser degree the narrator focalises into other characters’ experiences too. Izzidien chooses an effective writing style for the story she has crafted. She skilfully recounts several tender scenes and also succeeds in creating tension and expressing passion, thus taking the reader through an emotional journey as well as a historical one. The narrator offers deep words of truth and contemplation on several occasions in the novel, which call out the ongoing state of the world and contemporary human relations. Bringing in these reflections and connecting history to the present day serves to spark reflection in terms of what we can learn from history and how much of it we allow to be repeated. It also prevents us from disassociating ourselves from people of the past as mere characters. 

While this novel focuses largely on Ahmed and his sons in the light of historic events, as they are the titled watermelon boys who sell the fruits along the Tigris, we also meet strong female characters. They are gracious and admirable without being clichés or cringingly naive. Izzidien creates a warmth in her female characters, who are both pleasant and powerful in their own ways. I would have loved to delve deeper into their lives, but for that to be satisfied, the novel would have had to be much longer. Thankfully she gives us just enough though more wouldn’t have gone amiss. 

In terms of the historical period, I found that I was reading about a part of British colonisation that I had never known or heard about (having been more exposed to Indian and African narratives). Izzidien proposes a provocative depiction of historical events, which I doubt would be typically read in a British classroom. Izzidien is not afraid to take the British to account in this piece and it is rather refreshing to say the least. This critical exploration makes this novel, in my opinion, a valuable and arguably necessary read for anyone who does not know about British involvement in the region as early as WWI. 

As Izzidien describes a time gone by and a city (Baghdad) that no longer exists as it used to, I could not help but to feel remorse and grief at the architecture, life and how this city, as many others in the world, mark history in the absence of monuments and relics rather that in the solid walls of historic architecture and museums. Thankfully history is also contained in people’s hearts, memories and in literature. Izzidien's descriptions of the city are vibrant and create a longing for a place that unfortunately no longer exits in its fully glory. 

Overall, I found the novel to be both historically informative and emotionally nuanced. I enjoyed reading Izzidien's writing and felt it was a brave piece of work. My biggest criticism would be that I would have liked to read even more about some of the other characters and sub-plots but also recognise that it would have been beyond the scope for a first novel.  

Source: https://hoopoefiction.com/2019/06/19/izzidiens-first-novel-the-watermelon-boys-wins-big/

Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Freedom's Battle (1921)

Mahatma Gandhi wrote this book in order to explain and advocate his political views. It does not refer to his personal life except for what is relevant to his political argument. The work sometimes seems repetitive, though we see Gandhi's efforts to explain, justify and respond to criticism about his political strategy of non-co-operation, which goes to show to what degree people needed convincing and reassuring. 

I read the kindle edition published by the Jovian Press in 2017. The nine chapters are entitled as follows: Introduction, The Khalifat, The Punjab Wrongs, Swaraj, Hindu Moslem Unity, Treatment of the Depressed Classes, Treatment of Indians Abroad, Non-Co-operation and Mahatma Gandhi's Statement, which refers to his statement during his trial in court. 

I personally learnt a lot (and maybe the most) from the first few chapters because Gandhi takes efforts to not only explain the function and importance of the Muslim Khalifat and Muslim rule in Arabia, but also the manner in which it was dismantled. This is a significant observation considering the contemporary climate is a clear continuation of the same motive that resulted in the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, the Khalifat and the creation of nation states. India later became subject to the same division wrought upon Europe. 

Inter-religious tolerance is a key issue in Gandhi's argument, largely because he saw this relationship as key in creating a united front against the British as well as making the country function successfully. He highlights the inter-religious tolerance advocated in Hinduism (and I add that Islam advocates the same) and this alliance would only benefit independent India as it would create a positive and safe relationship with its neighbouring Arab countries. 

Gandhi notes the importance of valuing producers (people who make things) in society. This refers to craftsmen and women as well as farmers, which naturally protects and elevates poorer civilians as well as maintaining a social (and environmental) harmony. Modern India's history appears shameful and distant from this value. 

A valuable point in the development of Gandhi's personal political stance is his own disillusionment of the British. He went from being someone who was happy to serve them and see the best in them to being utterly betrayed by their dishonesty, mistreatment and corruption. Consequently, he openly criticises the British institution of Empire and details many reasons why. He demands justice and for them to recognise their wrongs. 

In his chapter "Treatment of Indians Abroad" Gandhi mentions the poor treatment of Indians in African colonies and in Britain. This is clearly due to racism. He also discusses his experiences in South Africa but otherwise focuses on India and International British politics. 

To conclude, there is an irony of secular India calling Gandhi the "father of the nation" since he was almost ascetic in his approach to gain independence, which is remote from the notions of secularism. He advocated religious tolerance while currently there is an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment in India due to Hindu nationalism. Gandhi's motivation for his strategy was doubly political and spiritual (religious). 

The Algebra of Infinite Justice (2002)

The book The Algebra of Infinite Justice is a collection of eight essays written by Arundhati Roy between the years of 1998 and 2002. My edition was published by Penguin Books in 2002 with a Foreword by John Berger and is approximately 300 pages long. It makes a change to have a little more non-fiction on my university reading list and I'm definitely glad this was mandatory reading. I decided to blog about it mainly because it is such a powerful book. So without much further ado and to keep this post brief I'll share some of my thoughts and feelings about the book but will not delve into too much detail, as I think it would be much better for anyone interested to read these with Roy as their first "exposure" because she articulates her points best and I find it useless paraphrasing them. 

Just to be clear as to what you'll be getting when you get hold of this book I'll list the names of the eight essays. In order of "appearance" they are: 'The End of Imagination', 'The Greater Common Good', 'Power Politics', 'The Ladies Have Feelings, So...', 'The Algebra of Infinite Justice', 'War is Peace', 'Democracy' and 'War Talk'.

As you can probably tell, I'm a fan of the book and would suggest everyone read it. The reason behind this is simply because the issues Roy discusses are so important and relevant to our modern society because it brings into question the nature of the world we're living in. Despite these essays being rather "old" the problems raised in the essays haven't necessarily been resolved, if anything they have been aggravated and I think it would be a crime not to be aware of what major crimes are being committed in the name of globalisation and "progress".

What I love about these essays is Roy's unflinching approach and her fact-filled passion. Not only is she well informed, she is witty and critical in her stance. She does not hold back from exposing enormous injustices taking place in her homeland. Roy critiques the decision to adopt nuclear arms, the business of building dams and notions of terrorism and democracy. She even goes on to explore what it means to be a writer and/ or an activist. Echoes of colonial burdens are ever present in her work, as India is plagued by its desire to compete with or please the "first world". She denounces the scale of the havoc as well as the fact that only the poor have to bear the brunt of it all. She provides us with eye-watering and heart-melting facts and statistics, and I personally found it heart wrenching to realise to what extent we, and governments, are disconnected from nature, the earth and a traditional way of life. Our inability to authentically value nature beyond a resource to be monetised is in great part one of the major causes of environmental destruction in our current climate. We need to open our eyes and look at the world beyond the lens of money and profit.

These essays are so valuable to humanity because they are a brave call in the face of superpowers. They are voicing the concerns of the voiceless or even trying to protect those who are uninformed and ignorant to how they're being taken advantage of and disregarded. The works are largely about India but they concern every human being because India is part of the world we live in and the issues in India are replicated in many ways across the world. If I were to say anything to India or any other developing country it would be to stop humiliating yourself before the West and destroying yourself from the inside. Value your people, including the poorest amongst them, and value a simpler, more traditional way of life and you will find harmony and success.

Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood (2016)

Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood is an autobiography written by the comedian Trevor Noah. It was published by John Murray in 2016 and I downloaded it for a mere 99p on my Kindle. I'm usually not one to be interested in the autobiographies or biographies of "celebrities" but having laughed at a few of Noah's sketches in the past (particularly when he started out) and the bargain Amazon tempted me with, I thought I'd give it a chance. And I'm glad I did. The book is 304 pages long and is divided into three parts and a total of 18 chapters, many of which are preluded by passages that provide context to the following events.

When I messaged my sister telling her a little about the book and how I was finding it, she commented on how it's funny how people can write autobiographies before the age of 40 now. She has a point, and yet I don't think Noah was misplaced in taking out the time to write this piece because it's about more than Trevor Noah the personality. I will explain what I mean. Of course Trevor Noah describes his experiences growing up in South Africa but he does this with plenty of insight into South Africa's history, tribal reputations, linguistic histories, as well as his family environment and his mother's dedication in raising him. This means that we learn about the history of a nation and the richness in just a part of its society and are then given a human side of how living through these complex social structures affects people and smaller communities. As well as a historical and social narrative, Noah's other major influence was his mother and this relationship is one of the main reasons I value this book.

Noah recognises that the world in South Africa is quite particular in its culmination of influences and its apartheid regime in relation to many Western countries' experience of the world. Thus, he makes a sincere effort to provide appropriate analogies along the way, which also function as reminders that the West isn't "clean" of certain sins but rather have their own forms of injustice that may well have been highlighted in the apartheid as being "more severe". He isn't afraid to bring up and discuss real, pertinent issues concerning white (light) privilege, male privilege and patriarchy, domestic violence and injustice towards women as well as reasons for crime and criminality and the breeding of hate and racism in a society. These are not problems that are South African problems alone nor are they "the Black man's problems" but rather issues that concern everybody individually as well as collectively.

Having lived in both Britain (born and raised) and Germany (at present), I would like to provide a minor correction to Noah's comparison to the teaching of the apartheid to South African children post-apartheid to the education Germans provide about the Nazis and Britons about the Empire. He rightly remarks that German students are made aware of the events of the Holocaust and share a public shame at this part of their history, but I felt the description of the British teaching of colonialism is slightly misplaced. I don't recall ever being formally taught about colonialism in school and even any reference to the slave trade was cursory and primarily focused on America. Britain hardly feels regret or shame about the Empire and consistently hides or avoids mentioning the huge injustices it committed and the attitude is rather that of "ah yes, the Empire was a big thing we had, and now don't- but now we have the Commonwealth".

In terms of writing style, the book is captivating and fluid. It's a pleasure to read and includes a fair share of humour with its tales of rather amusing and ridiculous events. However the emotions aren't always high and frivolous but varied and sometimes rather upsetting and serious. Noah manages to balance the emotions for it never to be too dark or pitiful nor simply comic. His narrative is personal and intelligent.

Now, I have to say that I love Mrs. Noah, Trevor Noah's mother. She, for me, is the real star and hero of the book. Coming back to my sister's remarks about someone under 40 writing an autobiography, I felt that it was an excuse rather to write about his mother. For me Trevor Noah, the child, was probably too boisterous but generally a decent lad however what I really savoured was Mrs. Noah and her rich personality. She is such a strong, brave woman and repeatedly shows her dedication to motherhood and her principles and values. Her strength of character and physical capacity to chase a little boy like Trevor left me in awe and hope. I'm not going to say I condone all methods practiced but there is much to learn in this book about raising a child and developing a meaningful relationship with your child. Mrs Noah is about instilling values and dedicated so much to simply opening the eyes of her child. She reminds us of motherhood and its sacrifices, its pains and joys, and how to foster a positive, healthy outlook to life even in the face of adversity. Her faith is her core and her faith is what elevates her. I can't say I wouldn't be happy to meet her myself!

To conclude I wanted to mention something concerning the sincerity of the book. I may be naive and blind to ulterior motives but while I recognise that Noah suffered a difficult childhood in so many ways, I didn't feel that this book was written in a bid to seek sympathy or to victimise the comedian. Nor was it, for me, a rags to riches story of hope and dreams. To a large degree I have to say that I'm glad of Noah's material success as far as it allowed me to learn firstly about his mother, secondly about the history and experiences of a segment of South African society and thirdly that he is in a position to discuss and denounce ongoing injustice in the world today. I'm rather tempted to write an essay for my seminar on the book, but we'll see what happens. Finally, I find that Noah's personal experiences are so varied, having engaged with such a variety of people from so many different backgrounds and social classes and this is naturally a great asset to him in his work.