Reviewed by Maggie Perkovic April 2009
This is a very difficult to read, it has been long listed for the guardian first book award.
It gives voice to Africa's children in beautifully crafyted prose and stunning detail.
A family live in a makeshift shanty in urban Kenya
A Rwandan girl witnesses unspeakable acts
A brother and sister are being sold into slavery by their uncle in Gambia
A muslim boy endures a terrifying bus road through Nigeria
Each of the hildren's stories is terrible in the telling as Muslim and Christian fight for supremecy, tribes slaughter each other in tribal warfare, the childrenb are mere bystanders then involved in teh terrible aftermath.
I read these stories with tears sometimes but I did learn a little more of the history and suffering of Africa.
Showing posts sorted by date for query Uwem Akpan. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Uwem Akpan. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Friday, 3 April 2009
show 2nd April 09
Guests on todays show were Barbara Simpson & Maggie Perkovich.
Books being reviewed were:
Just Henry by Michelle Magorian (author of Goodnight Mr Tom)
Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo
Say You're one of them by Uwem Akpan
Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
Also we talked about the last of the Richard & Judy shortlisted 10, for the Galaxy Read of the Year Award (Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman).
I had to talk about this book which is no.1, in the Lovereading top 10: The Golden Pig by the Penny Brothers. A funny detective novel written by 2 new authors, Penny brothers, who write each part alternately. Its about an inept private investigator called Hymie Goldman. Unlike his name, he wasn't jewish, the closest he'd ever come to Judaism was walking past a synogogue in Golders Green. He kept changing his name to repel old creditors but he never forsaw the cockney rhyming-slang potential of his last incarnation - Jackson Pollock!
The synopsis and first page of the book had us all laughing.
Also, I read the synopsis of a March 09 debut book which seemed an interesting read:
Sashenka by Simon Montefiore, a big, sweeping romantic adventure of half a century of turbulent Russian history. The authors ancestors escaped from the Tsarist Empire at the turn of the century and he spent the last ten years researching the Russian archives.
Finished off the show with some 'smart arse answers' 2008. 6th place was:
It was mealtime during a flight on a British Airways plane:
'Would you like dinner?' the flight attendant asked the man seated in the front row.
'What are my choices?' the man asked.
'Yes or no,' she replied.
4th Place
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at a branch of Sainsbury's but she couldn't find one big enough for her family.
She asked a passing assistant, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?'
The assistant replied, 'I'm afraid not, they're dead.'
3rd Place
The policeman got out of his car and approached the boy racer he stopped for speeding.
'I've been waiting for you all day,' the bobby said.
The kid replied, 'Yes, well I got here as fast as I could.'
When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket
Books being reviewed were:
Just Henry by Michelle Magorian (author of Goodnight Mr Tom)
Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo
Say You're one of them by Uwem Akpan
Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
Also we talked about the last of the Richard & Judy shortlisted 10, for the Galaxy Read of the Year Award (Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman).
I had to talk about this book which is no.1, in the Lovereading top 10: The Golden Pig by the Penny Brothers. A funny detective novel written by 2 new authors, Penny brothers, who write each part alternately. Its about an inept private investigator called Hymie Goldman. Unlike his name, he wasn't jewish, the closest he'd ever come to Judaism was walking past a synogogue in Golders Green. He kept changing his name to repel old creditors but he never forsaw the cockney rhyming-slang potential of his last incarnation - Jackson Pollock!
The synopsis and first page of the book had us all laughing.
Also, I read the synopsis of a March 09 debut book which seemed an interesting read:
Sashenka by Simon Montefiore, a big, sweeping romantic adventure of half a century of turbulent Russian history. The authors ancestors escaped from the Tsarist Empire at the turn of the century and he spent the last ten years researching the Russian archives.
Finished off the show with some 'smart arse answers' 2008. 6th place was:
It was mealtime during a flight on a British Airways plane:
'Would you like dinner?' the flight attendant asked the man seated in the front row.
'What are my choices?' the man asked.
'Yes or no,' she replied.
4th Place
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at a branch of Sainsbury's but she couldn't find one big enough for her family.
She asked a passing assistant, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?'
The assistant replied, 'I'm afraid not, they're dead.'
3rd Place
The policeman got out of his car and approached the boy racer he stopped for speeding.
'I've been waiting for you all day,' the bobby said.
The kid replied, 'Yes, well I got here as fast as I could.'
When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket
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