Ngugi wa Thiong'o Books

Its a message of hope in tragic and sad setting. Its a clear indication that the people themselves must always be vigilant over thier rights, and must be ready to defend themselves at whatever costs.

However, looking at the current happenigns in most african countries, its sad to see that their promissed Matigari- the hero of their story- changes and becames even worse once he gains power. perhaps the greatest message is that it creates hopes in the people who starts questioning their way of life rather than blindly having to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

Although the author proposes that the reader set the story in any place they imagine, the Kenyan government took "matigari" quite personally... and Ngugi is now an exiled writer.

originally published in gukuu (sp?) this lyrical story is a written version of African oral story telling tradition. Matigari, victorious over his foe in the mountains, returns to his homeland to find it over-run with capitalism. He befriends a man, woman and a child, and journeys throughout his homeland seeking truth and justice. Word of his deeds travel, and quickly become exaggerated, until matigari himself is deified. The text brings up themes of community versus individualism, socialism versus capitalism... it questions the length of the arm of the United States in Africa... and shows the dangers of Africa taking on destructive "white" government systems.

The story is tragic and beautiful, and very true. Who is Matigari? Read the book and find out!

Matigari by Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a fascinating story. Since from the very beginning, Matigari captures readers with foreshadowing, uses of similes, and many techniques that European writers use. However, the structure is different from a novel written in the European tradition. The language is kept rather simple, as someone would speak when telling a story. There are many repetitive words and phrases in Matigari and readers should not underestimate the significant value of every one of them. In addition, the repetition is one of many things that Ngugi used to make readers read the book like a hidden charisma of the book. In my opinion, one of many quotes that give more insight to the story is the following: There is no night so long that it does not end with dawn." This metaphorical expression has a very significant meaning in the context of the story. It expresses the endless sufferings of people in that land. Most importantly, it emphasizes their hope for a better tomorrow. Thins have not changed after the settlers left. The Imperialism system sets a worldwide system in which the sorrow of the many is the joy of the few. The wealth of an entire nation is in the hands of five percent of the population, while the other ninety five percent are dying of starvation. "I have girded myself with the belt of peace." That is another important phrase. It illustrates the non-violent attitude of the hero. Matigari was a nationalist, a peaceful messenger who wished for harmony in his community. Another phrase that provides the most insight into the text is house and home. It is repeated countless times throughout the story, sometimes as many as eight times on a single page. It is like a mantra-home. The home is the center of our life. It is where families are centered. We go home to our loved ones every night. Muriuki's mother was killed in a fire set by her proprietor when she could not afford to pay for and refused to leave her home. Guthera turned to prostitution after she and her sibling were orphaned and it was the only means by which she could provide for them. John Boy is sent away to school by his family and instead of coming back to help them to improve their lives he becomes just like the wealthy settlers and his main goal is making money at the expense of the natives. Matigari's home appears to represent unity, love, and power. Home has connotations that go even further than that of immediate family and a place to live. Home is their country and home is the life they knew before colonization. Decolorizing Mind novel, that Ngugi used a biblical element to grab readers such as myself into completing the novel Matigari. I could not put down the book, Matigari's attitude and outward demeanor could all be summed up in one outline: his grace, his compassion, his love, his patience, his peacefulness, gentleness are all the qualities of Christ. I especially loved how he captured Matigari's voice, "Something in Matigari's voice made them listen to him attentively," when Christ spoke the people all listened o him diligently. When Matigari said " a prudent person keeps their mouth shut, in the Bible James 1:19, says everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger...." In addition, when Matigari was in the jail cell, he shared food with other people in the jail. It is parallel to Jesus when he shares his bread to twelve other people. In literally, the food Matigari had and shared could be the last supper. Matigari is not only the bitter experience of post independence African society, but it is a picture of timeless suffering and struggle for freedom and independence. In a dictatorship, questions of truth and justice are paramount because these two are the first to disappear in such an environment. Matigari's patriotism for his country and his people haunted his soul. His search for truth and justice eventually let him to the forest and mountains. The myths of Matigari have wonder people. Who is this man People even compared him with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who ever that man is or whatever people think about him or his mission, I think the Matigari as an inspiration to the search for truth and justice.

I WAS IN THE UNIVERISTY WHEN I FIRST HAD TO READ NGUGI'S DECOLONSING THE MIND. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS WAS THE BOOK THAT DEFINED THE DIRECTION OF MY COLLEGE CAREER. THROUGH PERSONAL EXAMPLES AND GENERAL OVERVIEWS OF THE CORRUPTION OF THE NEO-COLONIAL AFRICAN STATE, NGUGI HAS WRITTEN A MUST-READ FOR ANY AFRICAN WHO HAS COME INTO CONTACT WITH WESTERN CULTURE, MAY THAT BE THROUGH LANGUAGE, SCHOOLING, OR ONE'S PLACE OF RESIDENCE. UNTIL I READ THIS BOOK, I DID NOT REALIZE HOW PROFOUNDLY THE RACIST NOTIONS OF THE WESTERN WORLD AFFECTED MY THOUGHT PROCESS AND THE WAY THAT I VIEWED THE WORLD AROUND ME; ESPECIALLY THE WAY THAT I VIEWED MYSELF. THIS BOOK WILL BECOME INDISPENSABLE TO ANY PERSON THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA WHO HAS EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FEELINGS OF DISPLACEMENT, SELF-HATRED, AND ANXIETY THAT NGUGI SO ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBES. A MUST HAVE.

As a student and a poet, I was first introduced to Meena Alexander when I was reading an example of what to expect on an Ap test (in English). I started to actually pay attention and read throught the diction and syntax to see what lay beneath, and what I say was magnificent. This book is a collectors piece for psychologists and th ecommon person. After all, who has not asked "Who am I?" This book answers that question for Meena, and if you read it yourself, it may provide a simple answer as well. But don't count on it, for Fault Lines shows us the confliction through conflicting images an example of Humanity itself.

This book is a must read for anyone concerned or struggling with the equality of others or themselves. It is a must read for anyone who thinks they know why minorities are the way they are. It is a must read for disentangling nearly 600 years of global imperialism. Ngugi's book is also a must read for understanding what is happening today, to all of us.

This book is compact yet dense with insight. The chapters inside this book examine the need for "re-centering" culture and establishing cultural freedom presently hindered by Eurocentrism, colonialism, and the "imperialism of language." The chapter on the "Imperialism of Language" is my favorite because here Ngugi carefully examines a cultural by-product of Eurocentrism and colonialism, that is, the loss of language. He writes that the world today is "dominated by a handful of languages," which is quite awesome considering the multitude of languages that prevailed, without outside dominance, prior to 600 years ago, or even 150 years ago.

This small review does little justice to this book that has been read and re-read by me for several years now, always finding something more, or understanding more with every new reading. I am writing this review because I am giving my copy of this book to my son. He is ready for it now, after reading other books I have suggested to him so that he might understand his roots and his present. I do not believe in lending out any book you are not willing to loose (many people have asked to read this book but I have never allowed it to leave my home). I am looking to replace it already, hence, arriving here at Amazon and this review.

Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's book is an incredible achievement. It is divided into four lectures and each one contains a lot of information as well as well formed, well supported philosophies. It is not detached in its philosophy, however, but right down to earth. He makes sure to practically apply his ideas to the modern African continent. His philiosophies are strong, moving, and somehow easy to understand in all their complexity. I picked the book up and was on page 60 before I knew what had happened. I recommend this book with all my heart to anyone who has a passion for any form of art or for the humanity so often suppressed by the state, for anyone interested in language, literature, political art, or modern applications of ancient Greek philosophy. This is an incredible book.

Although this book is currently "out of print", I decided nevertheless to write the first customer review about it.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a well-known and respected Kenyan writer, among African intellectuals and thinkers on the continent of Africa. He earlier published under the name "James Ngugi" [for that is what he was then called] before he purged the European "James" from his African identity -- something a little akin to what Malcolm X did with his name branded on him by the white man. This book is a radical, unconventional book. It is a book for Africa. Ngugi is a proud, serious and no-nonsense African writer who has every reason to say what he says!

Ngugi's own personal story is that of a principled African writer on a pilgrimage of cultural metamorphosis and self-discovery. Earlier, Ngugi used to write the kind of "sweet", seriously written, best-selling African novels that wouldn't be branded "pan-African" or "Afro-centric". Books like "Weep not, Child", "The River Between" are African classics of yesteryear. These earlier books are also landmarks in Ngugi's career and, therefore, no throw-away literature. Maybe they even earned him more money.

But that was before Ngugi learnt his lesson and made his decision. In the 70's, his outlook was changing radically and he even came in confrontation with the Kenyan government and was imprisoned for his satirical play, "I Will Marry When I Want", which was an under-the-belt punch in the balls of the Kenyan government! He became a steadfast Marxist and socialist around that time and he later had to go and live in exile. I think he still lives in Sweden now.

Ngugi is a very serious African writer, whose style and choice of theme in his books changed profoundly throughout the seventies. I think "Writers in Politics" is a culmination of these pan-African ideas that convinced him through these years. In these essays, Ngugi argues for African literature to be written by Africans in their African languages. Failure to that, he opines, African literature will never be African in its entirety and that African writers will always be "neo-colonial" in their approach to -- and portrayal of -- African tradition, reality and culture they shall attempt to recount, or make account of, in their "neo-colonial" books. Ngugi says every writer is a writer "in politics". Ngugi brings forth many, many complex and interesting arguments in his book.

And there are also references to that sinful institution of American Slavery, to men like Thomas Jefferson, to American historical documents, etc. It's all very interesting to read. Pity, though, that Ngugi's plea to his fellow African writers -- to write books in their mother language -- has so far met harsh resistance and criticism from most African writers, who dismiss Ngugi's propositions as anything from "impracticable" to "nutty". It looks like these harsh critics are still so in love with the white man's language that the white man brought to them. I personally think Ngugi has a point there and that Ngugi's ideas will be revisited in the future, by more enlightened "clubs" of African writers, who will rejuvenate his ideas. As a way of setting an example, Ngugi stopped writing in English and writes only in his native Gikuyu; the books are then translated to English. Well done, Ngugi!

"Writers in politics" is, I think, one of Ngugi's last books written in the English language. It is an in-depth analysis of an Africa caught in the cultural doldrums of today's unpredictable status quo, after slavery and colonialism. It is a book about "neo-colonialism". I think readers who like this book will also find "Decolonising The Mind" -- another Ngugi book -- interesting. The two books have many common themes and lines of argument. "Writers In Politics" is a book about the progression of African literature and its meaningfulness as seen by a literary seer.

If it is possible to imagine, Ngugi wa Thiong'o's "A Grain of Wheat" surpasses the power and eloquence of Herman Hesse and Joseph Conrad. He traces the inner development of his characters with such deep understanding of the human condition that I was astounded and moved to tears and joy. He rises above the black vs. white issue and places his characters in the arena of life where they have to deal with oppression, betrayal, disolussionment, love and despair as human beings. Ngugi pulled me right into midst of the people's lives and allowed me to get to know them intimately. The experience has made me a better person...more loving, more compassionate and more understanding. Thank you Nugui for a rewarding experience.

Ngugi expresses himself in prose. His style is simple but conveys deep meaning and the crude reality of the people. It has a language of power, violence and patriarchy. There is the intrusion of the African language. He creates suspense throughout the novel which captivates the reader's attention. The style of writing is open-ended, which leaves the reader to speculate and draw his own conclusions. A Grain of Wheat becomes a work of art as Ngugi portrays realistic themes (violence, betrayal, etc), and he show the feelings of the people. He describes the Mau Mau movement and mentions people like Jomo Kenyatta. He makes use of symbolism. The `grain of wheat' is the seed of rebellion which is represented by the Mau Mau. This eventually leads to the freedom from colonial rule. Ngugi shows how colonialism had different impacts on different people. It is a complex and traumatic experience for each individual. We also have all-rounded characters. The book has a fluid chronology, far from being linear in structure. The style of writing only enhances the real events. There is also a lack of continuity, and the lengthy sections of flashbacks tend to leave the reader unaware of exactly what timeframe he/she is supposed to be thinking. All the major characters are there for a reason. The songs/dances indicate that Ngugi is trying to bring his African culture in the novel. The novel shows the African reality. The reader discovers/is informed about the atrocities of concentration camps - violence against the African people and eventually rebellion for freedom from the Whiteman's control. The reader is also informed about the colonising power. Characters are unfolded through various events, and the events illustrate the characters; the plot and the characters are inter-dependant. The plot achieves tragic effects, and satire mingled with comedy. It is a narrative plot with monologues and dialogues. There is the element of suspense (Mugo at the beginning). The plot is artistic as a whole. It is up to the reader to connect the scenes together since the author often uses flashbacks to narrate various episodes. The story has a circular pattern (it starts with, and returns to, Mugo) and it is only by connecting the bits and pieces that we have the whole story. The narrator probes deep into theses characters (through monologues which reveal the innermost feelings of the characters). He uses the characters to lash out his own feelings about the issues. The use of humour to accentuate the seriousness of the situation (e.g. Karanja's dream with the Queen, lashing out bitterness about her).

There is no one storyline to follow throughout, and there is no one protagonist to embrace. Instead, Ngugi tells us of a world on the brink of independance, of the people that lived through the transition, and of the effects that occur to the land and its people in the process.

While understanding that Ngugi was someone quite politically charged, the book plays as an allegory to his specific beliefs, but reading this story cannot help but take you on an emotional road as well. He spins a tale in an enchanting and effective way. His characters represent the many layers of people on the transitioning land: those of tradition, wisdom, corruption, and courage.


A great book to read for the interpretations, and for the story itself.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o, born into Kenya's largest ethnic group, the Gikuyu, in 1938, was educated at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and the University of Leeds. His "Weep Not, Child," published in 1964, was the first novel in English to be published by an East African author. "A Grain of Wheat," Ngugi's postcolonial novel of political, social, sexual, and religious struggle, death, and rebirth, was published in 1967, when he had begun working, first, as a reporter and, then, as a university professor. In December 1977, shortly before the death of Kenya's first president Jomo Kenyatta, vice president Daniel arap Moi, who would later rule Kenya with an iron hand, had Ngugi detained for a year as a political prisoner for what Moi regarded as the unsettling political message of Ngugi's popular play "I Will Marry When I Want". With the play, Ngugi turned his attention from Kenya's emergence from British occupation to the political corruption of independent Kenya. After his release from prison, Ngugi was unable to resume his university post. He left Kenya in 1982 and now publishes exclusively in his native Gikuyu, because he views the structure of the English language as containing a European, and hence foreign, vision of Africa. Ngugi is regarded as one of the leading African authors of the last half-century.

"A Grain of Wheat" is not realism in the Western style. It does not set out to tell one story from one character's point of view. It does not rely on finely drawn character development, interior monologue, dilemmas established early and worked out late, and the sort of rational choices which characters exercising free will make in Western fiction. Rather, it is fiction in a Marxist-Homeric style with Biblical overtones, told from many points of view, and crossed, perhaps, with an African oral tradition. In "A Grain of Wheat" birth is destiny, struggle is inevitable, the Lord disposes, and until the very end of the novel destiny is therefore imposed on each of the imperfect village characters, rolling over them, grinding them into an "earth smoked grey like freshly dropped cow-dung", reminding them of dogs tearing the limbs off a rabbit and running "with blood-covered pieces" in different directions. (215, 229)

Kenya, Kenya's history since the late 19th century, and Kenya's emancipation from the Brits during the 1950s is the story of "A Grain of Wheat," and that story is told through the complex interactions of Kihika, a resistance leader; his beautiful, universally desired sister Mumbi; their friend Mugo, who wrestles with his conscience even as he is revered as a hero of the resistance; Kajanga, a quisling who becomes chief of their village and lusts after Mumbi; and Gikonyo, the husband of Mumbi, who, after seven years as a political prisoner, rejects his wife when her single flaw is exposed. Primal emotions fluctuate and move them. The changes of point of view are abrupt. The effect, kaleidoscopically, is to create a picture of an entire society in turmoil.

It may be difficult for Westerners to bond with the central characters. Their actions may sometimes seem strange. There is no program to identify them and no roadmap for the gradually developing plot. But it is a wonderful tapestry Ngugi creates, the politics are provocative, and the unvarnished images of Africa roll off Ngugi's pen like the waves of a wine-dark sea. This book is well worth reading.

I loved this book. The story itself is compelling, detailing both African and European characters' perspectives on Kenyans' struggle for independence from Britain. Just for the story alone, the book is an intriguing page-turner that completely satisfies. But beyond that, it has a powerful and inspirational moral message that I have taken with me and hope never to forget.

Each of the major characters commits an act of betrayal to attain a greater goal, whether it's the British officer who wants to create a happy, harmonious colony and finds himself torturing and murdering in pursuit of this vision, or whether it's the Kenyan rebel who betrays his comrade to save his own life, feeling that he must survive to perform important tasks for his people.

Each one chooses less-than-perfect means to an imagined end. But what we and they learn, is that the "end" never comes, and we are left living day-to-day in the rubble of our "means." The betrayals that crisscross the novel scar all the characters with heavy losses, representative of the losses and betrayals that scarred Kenya as it stood on the threshhold of independence, divided between those who had collaborated with British occupation and those who had rebelled. And yet the final note is one of hope, that somehow reconciliation and transcendence of past injuries can be attempted.

I took to heart two messages: that those of us who struggle for justice in today's world must never betray our own principles in pursuit of some supposed higher good--because we too will be left only with our betrayals and no higher good in sight. And, that even after betrayals and years of conflict, there is still a spark of hope for renewal.

Ngugu wa Thiong'o's two ridges are rivals to the political and spiritual salvation of the Kikuyu. Waiyaki stands between the two worlds. Indeed, he sees that both the traditionalist's view and the tribe and the new Christian view each hold a modicum of merit. Waiyaki attempts to bridge these worlds to strengthen the tribe and connect with the good of the modern world.
The man caught between two worlds is a common theme throughout literature and may be seen as trite. Yet, as usual trite themes are only bad when done by bad writers. Ngugu, however, is a fantastic writer. He is to the Kikuyu what Achebe is to the Ibo. This book is thoroughly enthralling; not only do I give this book 5 stars I would put it in must read.

The River Between is about the division between two villages in Africa, divisions begun by the differences between the tribal ways and Christian ways brought by the missionaries. The death of Muthoni, the eldest daughter of Joshua, the most stringent follower of the missionary, after undergoing female circumcision causes the missionary to "outlaw" female circumcision and forbid the children of the "circumcised" to attend the school. An expelled student of the school in his final year sets up schools for those that believe the tribal traditions, but his youth awakens an old enemy of his father to oppose him and set him up for failure by utilizing the young man's love for Nyambura, Joshua's other daughter. Not to give anything away, I was not happy with the end of the book, hence the 3 rating; however, those who think they are enlightened and would like to outlaw female circumcision should read this book as if does raise an interesting question: "If the white man's religion made you abandon a custom and then did not give you something else of equal value, you became lost. An attempt at resolution of the conflict would only kill you, as it did Muthoni." What do the "liberals" who want to outlaw female circumcision in the name of "women's rights" suggest as a custom to replace this custom?

I read this book while living in Tanzania as a volunteer from 2000-2002. I found it very helpful in understanding East African post-colonial attitudes. For that, it was an invaluable book to read, and it helped me put my own self and work into context. I would recommend this book to anyone doing Peace Corps in Kenya or Tanzania.

As a work of fiction, it is fascinating, and I was easily absorbed into the storyline, and the love story involved.

However, I felt that the women in the story were too simplistically depicted. It left me wondering if that is truly how women in Kenya during that era felt about female circumcision, or if Ngugi himself had written from the female perspective without really understanding it.

In some ways, he makes FGM seem like it is comparable to male circumcision, which it's not. It does far more damage to a woman than what men typically experience from male circumcision.

So my suggestion, then, is for readers to keep in mind that the writer is a male from a male-dominated society as they read the story.

The River Between is a subtle tale that manages to comprehensively deal with a variety of themes including the challenge of leadership, the values of traditional heritage, the destructive nature of rejection of culture and finally, the multi faceted dimensions of the human personality.

As an African woman in the Diaspora, the writing of African writers from the Continent is a very important and an integral means of connecting with a heritage that I am routinely forced to ignore and misunderstand. This novel, amongst many other African novels, is an important tool in the re-education of the mind, forcing you to understand the dynamics of the many diverse African cultures as well as introducing you to the unique mode of storytelling that African writers illustrate so well, and Ngugi is a particularly accomplished story teller.

A River Between, although set amongst the Gikuyu, has lessons for all African people everywhere fighting for self-determination, survival and most importantly, global unity amongst African people. The way in which Ngugi deals with the issue of Female Circumsion is one that I have to respect. He does not simply demonise the practice but puts the practice into the context of tradition and heritage. Indeed, he highlights the perils of literally `white' washing African cultures through the character of Joshua who ultimately loses both his children.

One of the most memorable quotes for me occurs in Chapter 25 when Waiyaki thinks to himself about Joshua, the `white' man's horse:

"He had clothed himself with a religion decorates and smeared with everything white. He renounced his past and cut himself away from those life-giving traditions of the tribe. And because he had nothing to rest upon, something rich and firm on which to stand and grow, eh had to cling with his hands to whatever the missionaries taught him..."

Overall, River Between is a beautifully written story that illustrates the complimentary nature of duality or seemingly apparent opposites. It is subtle and yet bold; inspirational but also cautionary. Everything is intricately interwoven and you realise that all elements of life is steadfastly connected with each other, you can not successfully separate love from social responsibility, or heritage and legacy from the present and future.

"The River Between" tells the story of a young boy, Waiyaki, who is told by his father that he will be the savior of his village. Waiyaki's village is under the threat of integration by the white missionaries who are slowly entruding on their village. Waiyaki is to go to the mission and learn the teachings of the white man and use those teachings to help save his people. Waiyaki accepts his role as savior and feels that education is the only way to save his people.

This novel deals with complex issues, including finding a balance between accepted, traditional norms and new world education. The struggle to find a balance is the motivating factor in this novel and drives the story forward. Ngugi crafted this novel masterfully and receives tremendous praise for this work. I highly recommend this book to any who desire to read it.

Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition


This novel is not just about Africa. Change the names and the settings, and it could just as easily be America.

This epic novel by one of Africa's great writers, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, is as relevant today to many countries in Africa - including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria (to name but a few) - as it is to bygone despotic dictators such as Idi Amin of Uganda and Daniel arep Moi of Kenya. Ngugi had first hand experience of the latter and was imprisoned in Kenya without trial under Moi before going into exile in London. He now lives in California where he is a professor of English and comparative literature at the Irvine campus of the University of California, and the head of its International Center for Writing and Translation.

As several critics have pointed out, this overly long novel would have benefited from some adept and competent editing. Ngugi's writing is a combination of fictional story-telling, magical realism and didactism creating an uneven melange that although a compelling tale, is jagged and at times rambling. This detracts from the satirical commentary about power-hungry corrupt African leaders and their sycophants that are driven by unbridled greed at the expense of any thought for the plight of the destitute masses in their countries.

Ngugi's plea is for Africans to find their voice and reclaim their heritage that was plundered by colonialists. He highlights some of the troubling issues that plague many African countries: megalomaniacal leaders, corruption, oppression of any dissent, a patriarchal machismo resulting in abuse of women, religiosity, neglect of the poor, unemployment, and a strong belief in the supernatural. Juxtaposed against this bleak picture is a vision of hope that change may be possible if sufficient numbers of people join together against the overwhelming forces of evil.

Ngugi leaves us without any definitive answer. In his novel, one despotic dictator has been deposed - only to be replaced by another. However, the underground "Movement for the Voice of the People" remains vibrant and active. Only time will tell what the outcome will ultimately be - and Ngugi is not venturing a prediction.

John Gosling

Wizard of the Crow is very well crafted and extremely entertaining. It tells the story of a fictional African country ruled by a dictator surrounded by sycophantic cabinet ministers. The politicians, businessmen and police officers in the story are all highly superstitious. As a result they become completely caught up with what they regard as an extremely powerful wizard who is controlling all of their lives. The lengths to which they go to protect themselves and to placate the wizard will have you laughing out loud. Although it is a sattire, one finds ones'self constantly thinking of real life personalities who are just like the characters. Within the political intrigue created by the ruler and his lackeys the author manages to weave a gripping love story. I definitely recommend this book. It is a classic.

Aburiria is a fictional country in Africa, ruled by The Ruler, a dictator unlike any other. For his birthday, his cabinet has decided to build a huge tower, tall enough to reach the Heaven, funded by loans from the Global Bank. Of course, not every citizen loves the idea, but all dissenting voices are crushed without mercy - if the international bankers get the idea that Aburiria is unstable, they won't loan the money!

Wizard of the Crow is a delicious satire, filled with outrageous characters. The African story-telling tradition is rich and colourful and Ngugi wa Thiong'o isn't saving words. The book is long and full of magic - magical realism is an excellent label for this book. The competing ministers Machokali and Sikiokuu are hilarious in their antics, yet almost painfully real, not to mention all the corrupt, power-hungry and superstitious businessmen, police and politicians.

I believe most people haven't read any books from African authors. If you wish to educate and entertain yourself, reading Wizard of the Crow is an excellent idea. Even though the book is over 700 pages long, I wouldn't have minded if it had been even longer - it was that good. Only the ending was somewhat flat, perhaps, but making a story this epic end in a satisfying way must be really, really hard. (Review based on the Finnish translation.)

With satiric wit and intimate familiarity of his topic, Ngugi quickly draws his reader into the story, characters and setting. Laugh out loud passages and wickedly funny barbs abound in the early chapters, but the momentum flags and the humor wears thin such that, after 766 pages, one can only wish that Random House had mustered an editor equal to the task of concentrating the author's prodigiously self-indulgent manuscript into the masterpiece he envisioned. It is a pity, as the potential is there, but ultimately the book becomes a slog to complete as it fails to deliver on its ambitions as a fable, satire, romance, history and post neo-colonial manifesto.

Were Ngugi not the towering figure of African literature he has become, one suspects that this book would have been half as long and twice as powerful because it would have had to earn its way onto the critics' lists, bookstore shelves and into people's libraries. Instead, at the expense of the story, it was allowed to remain a book of witty, learned and occasionally hackneyed pronouncements on all manner of things under the African (and Western) sun, because Ngugi could write nearly anything and his publisher and agent know it will sell. This kind of professional laziness all around does a disservice to Ngugi's talent and puts an undue burden on the reader. At the end, one can only marvel at what this pretty good book might have been were its potential as a novel fully realized.

I found it amazing. I wonder what I am missing in the translation though. I know the devices of prose are not preserved when honest translations are made. I wonder what the names of all the characters mean, I know they HAVE to mean something as he has taken great pains in making most everything else count. I wish I knew what the songs in Congolese meant because I know they are devices of the plot, just like every other ditty that got translated.

As for it being a great piece of literature... I believe it is so. I loved the parallels with the life of Jesus and the allegory throughout. I love pieces that are layered. I can respect any author that puts that much work into his fiction. I was excited to see a female main character who rediscovered her true worth. It redefined what I subconsciously assumed about African culture and the treatment of women.

For its cultural value, integration of African storytelling, and all the other elements combined... I have to give this book 5 stars. I wish I had read it long, long ago.

This book is listed as one of the best books of the 20th century. It may very well be an important book but one of the best written I beg to differ. The whole book seems uneven. When the author seeks to show us and not tell us that is when the book is best. Most of the book is quite preachy which means that the author's agenda gets in the way of telling the story. It sounds an awful lot like Ngugi would rather be a preacher than a writer. The parts that are the best are when he shows us the tragedy of everyday happenings in Kenya. Unfortunately these moments are few and far between. He never draws us into the story by showing the specific blight of the main characters until the very end. If Ngugi had given the reader some reason to feel for the characters that would have been better. Without empathy there is no compelling reason to continue reading the story. If the reader cannot identify with the characters why read the book. Overall I had high hopes for this book and was let down. I would not read it a second time.

I really loved this book. I've read a few of Ngugi's books and this is my favorite: lyrical, sad, and yet optimistic and celebratory at the same time. It has a number of strengths. Its poetic verses and style were reminiscent of Kikuyu oral literature; despite this version being in English there was a great translator. I can't read Kikuyu but Ngugi writes in it and says it can convey some of the richness of the stories better than English can. I can't imagine it being better than it was though! It was a great story of true Kenyan heroes, a love story, a scathing condemnation of corruption, materialism, poverty, neo-colonialism and self-hatred in Kenya and all over the world, and a truly feminist story as well.

I loved how Ngugi praised women who sought untraditional careers like engineering,and the women who had been the national heros in expelling the British. African women's roles in ousting the colonial powers and the need for them to help develop young nations is often neglected but Ngugi gives special attention to African women and embraces their contributions, equality, and their natural beauty, while expressing deep sadness over how they mutilate themselves by bleaching their skin, among other things. I met Ngugi and he was such a warm and wonderful man. This is a beautiful story.

One commentor noted that Ngugi's book is good but fails in establishing a reason to care to his audience.

The reason for this is because though Ngugi does establish empathy from his audience he does so briefly because he assumes it is understood. Ngugi, in other words, was not writing this book for the European descent population who would need an elaborate explanation as to why to care about the characters. For the commentor, who is likely of European descent, they did not feel the automatic empathy for the characters any person of African descent feels as they read through the first chapter.

It's hard for me to think of any book that so elaborately investigates the contemporary Pan-African dilemma due to European exploitation. Other great novels, such as "Home to Harlem", do not directly attack or identify the issues. This book, though fictional literature is more of a nod to the philosophical inquiries of "The Wretched of the Earth." Utterly brilliant.

One evening in Nairobi in the mid 80's I spent an uncomfortable dinner party defending this book to a bunch of outraged white folks. Well, Ngugi had it a bit worse. For the crime of producing a play in Kikuyu and for having ordinary folk be in it, and, of course, for the play expressing some irritation at the idea that a few should have all the money, he was jailed and his play confiscated.

As a result of his imprisonment, perhaps, this is not a happy book. Using allegory and parable he constructs a fabulous tale critiquing the existing order. He lays into the wealthy, the white colonialists and anyone else getting well off or acquiescing in the current regime of theft and greed.

Some of the outrage people have at this book came from Nugui's imaginative retelling of Jesus' parables. "For the Kingdom of Earthly Wiles can be likened unto a ruler who foresaw that the day would come when we would be thrown out of a certain country by the masses and their guerrilla freedom fighters" begins a parable loosely based on The Parable of the Talents.

It looks like he's attacking Jesus -- if you think Jesus was just telling pious little "be good" stories. On the other hand, if you really listen to Jesus, you'll think Ngugi is right on target.

This is an African version of Liberation Theology.