MAISHA YETU
Kenya’s Cynthia Abdallah is among the winners of the 2022 Itanile Awards. The Awards, administered by Itanile Magazine, rewards the effort and commitment of literary creatives for advancing the African experience, through storytelling. “We select winners of the award from works we publish from January to December every year,” says Itanile. “Our guest editor selected […]
Title: Benji’s Big WinAuthor: Nducu wa NgugiPublisher: East African Educational PublishersAvailability: Leading BookstoresReviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri Though he enjoys his life in school, there are a number of things bothering Benji.Top of them is his father’s apparent disinterest in his budding football career. He is not only the top striker in Kamden Boys School, he is […]
Title: We should all be feminists Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Reviewer: Scholastica Moraa Being a diehard Chimamanda fan, it is always a pleasure reading her works. Being a feminist it is an absolute thrill reading and rereading this treasure. The book explores what a feminist is and what a truly beautiful world it would be […]
Title: Spare Author: Prince Harry Reviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri Never, in their wildest imaginations, did players in the British media expect that a member of the royal family would come swinging at them the way rebel Prince Harry has done in his tell-all book Spare. The tabloids took refuge in the fact that the royal household […]
Title: Chained Author: Scholastica Moraa Reviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri Chained is the haunting tale of 22-year-old Danielle, alone, bleeding in the bathroom, staring at imminent death after having procured an abortion. Her thoughts are in a state of turmoil as she reflects on the events that led to the present moment. She is full of regrets […]
Ten things you should know about Father Samuel Wachira, the only priest in Kenya, to have written a full-length book on popular literature. 1. Father Samuel Wachira was born and raised in Sagana, Kirinyaga County. 2. He studied priesthood at the Pontifical Institute for Biblical Studies in Rome. 3. His first posting as a priest […]
Five little known facts about Prof Kithaka wa Mberia. 1. He teaches Linguistics at the University of Nairobi and not Kiswahili, as widely believed by many. One of the many Vice-Chancellors he has served under, at UoN, long held the belief that Prof Mberia taught Kiswahili. 2. His book Kwenzi Gizani, which won the Jomo […]
Title: Chadi’s Trip Author: Sarah Haluwa Publisher: Storymoja Reviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri The village of Kalole is faced with a deadly plague; Shaka Risha. Anyone who contracts it, most likely ends up dead. The whole village is worried; there is no knowing who will catch the deadly ailment next.The village oracle announces that the cure can […]
Marx Kahende, a retired diplomat and Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s son, Nducu, are among the winners of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature. Kahende’s book, The Wayward Vagabond, published by East African Educational Publishers (EAEP), won in the adult English category, while Nducu wa Ngugi’s book Benji’s Big Win (EAEP), won in the youth English category. […]
When Ngugi wa Thiong’o left his Kamirithu village, in Limuru, to join Alliance High School, the State of Emergency had already been declared, by colonial authorities in Kenya. This mainly affected members of the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru communities, that formed the bulk of the Mau Mau rebellion. Members of these three communities could not […]