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Books Non-Fiction Personalities Reviews

The enchanting story of the late Yusuf Dawood

Title: Nothing But the Truth Author: Yusuf K Dawood Publisher: East African Educational Publishers Reviewer: Scholastica Moraa I started reading this book enthusiastically; with a desire to know the man behind the thrilling Surgeon’s Diary in the Sunday Nation newspaper. The book did not disappoint and since the beginning I have read on, feverishly flipping […]

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Awards Books Fiction Issues News

Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature: A call for entries

The Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) has made a call for submissions for the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature. Winners of the award will be unveiled in September, during the 24th edition of the Nairobi International Book Fair. Titles to be submitted must have been published between 2020 and May 2022. There are two levels of […]

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Books Fiction Reviews

The People of Ostrich Mountain

Title: The People of Ostrich Mountain Author: Ndirangu Githaiga Reviewer: Scholastica Moraa Some stories leave after you read them, but some stay long after the last page. This was one such book. It lingers on like a fond memory. ‘The People of Ostrich Mountain’ tells the story of Wambui during the colonial period and as […]

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Books Non-Fiction Reviews

Who hurt you?

Title: Confessions of Nairobi Women Author: Joan Thatiah Reviewer: Scholastica Moraa I will be lying if the catchy title did not light in me the desire to read this book. Confessions… secrets … scandals have always held an appeal to everyone. Joan Thatiah did not disappoint. The fact that the stories are true makes the […]

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Books Culture Non-Fiction Personalities Reviews

The making of a phenomenal black woman

Title: Finding Me Author: Viola Davis Publisher: HarperCollins Reviewer: Scholastica Moraa Viola Davis. The woman who set our screens on fire with her act in ‘The Woman King’. Picking this book was a search for who she is, for who she became; for the intricate pieces of what makes this phenomenal black woman. Finding Me […]

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Books Fiction Reviews

Americanah through the eye of a geographer

Title: Americanah Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Reviewer: Kelvin J. Shachile Unlike Half of a Yellow Sun that made her cry, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes her third novel Americanah as a book that made her laugh. Published in 2013 by Alfred A. Knopf, the voluminous text is a book that made me […]

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Books Fiction Reviews

Revenge and rejection in Dawood’s thriller

Title: Eye of the Storm Author: Yusuf Dawood Publisher: East African Educational Publishers Reviewer: Otieno Opondo Eye of the Storm is a captivating medical thriller novel authored by Yusuf K. Dawood, a renowned surgeon and columnist, who died in January, 2023. Set in the post-colonial era, the book delves into the themes of revenge and […]

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Books Culture Featured Fiction Issues Reviews

The tear-jerking experiences of a child bride

Title: The Girl with the Louding Voice Author: Abi Dare Publisher: Sceptre (UK) Reviewer: Cynthia Abdallah It is not enough that the main character Adunni will tug at your heartstrings and make you sympathize with the plight of the girl child in the novel, The Girl with the Louding Voice. Her father’s decision to marry her […]

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Books Featured Fiction Reviews

Kombani impresses in his latest offering

Title: Hawkers-Pokers Author: Kinyanjui Kombani Publisher: Longhorn Reviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri Kinyanjui Kombani is back, this time with a thriller, whose twists and turns will keep the reader glued to the book’s pages till the very end. The story is told through the eyes of Rocky Ada (Rada), hawker, who is the eyes (riitho) of fellow […]

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Arts Awards Culture Events Fiction Issues News Non-Fiction Releases Short story

Submissions for Kendeka Prize now open

Short story writers have until May 15 to submit their entries to the Kendeka Prize for African Literature. The call out for submission for the 2023 prize was made on Saturday January 28, during the inaugural Kendeka Lecture, held at the Mount Kenya University. The lecture, titled Why Literature Matters and Literary Prizes Matter, was […]