MAISHA YETU
Kenyans are reading. Introducing; top ten books of the month, as sold by Prestige Bookshop. 1.Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth by Wole Soyinka In an imaginary Nigeria, a cunning entrepreneur is selling body parts stolen from Dr. Menka’s hospital for use in ritualistic practices. Dr. Menka shares the grisly […]
Longhorn Publishers has expanded its operations to the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Longhorn Publishers has been serving the needs of students and educators in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda for over 50 years, and we’re thrilled to be offering our quality products and services to learners in DRC,” said the company in a statement on […]
Growing up, there was a chap we used to call Musiembi – tough as nails – and boy did he pack a thunder shot, which we aptly named musiembip, as it rhymed with the sound his bare foot made whenever it came into contact with the ball. Then, bicycle pumps were used to inflate the […]
Gíkúyú mythology tells the story of the cunning hare that entered into a deal with the hyena to the effect that they beat up their mothers later that evening.While it is not clear what wrong the two mothers had done to deserve such ‘punishment’, the two friends were nonetheless determined to go ahead with their […]
When Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sent his son Raila Odinga to communist East Germany, it was on the firm understanding that he would eventually study Medicine, despite the fact that the son was inclined to the arts. This was in 1962 and Raila was only 17. He had just left Maranda School. In Germany, he was […]
It was relief for Kenyan publishers after they held their first book fair in two years in Nakuru City last week. The publishers are just recovering from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw them lose a whole year’s sales when learning institutions were closed in 2020. Due to restrictions pertaining to Covid […]
It is long since I last sat down with Adrian Nduma and the Covid restrictions were not helping matters. Being one of the top rated visual artists in Kenya, I have always been amazed by his works; they are so breathtakingly real. The other day I went for a meeting in Karen and it occurred […]
History has a funny way of repeating itself, especially if we do not learn from it. In 1980, Frank Sundstrom, an American marine landed at the Kenyan coast, where he met Monicah Njeri. Njeri was what you would call a sex worker, yaani alikuwa anatafutia watoto. One thing led to another; the two had sex, […]
Henry Chakava, has been referred to as the father of African publishing for good reason. He would have easily made a career in the academy but he chose publishing instead. In 1972, he joined the then Heinemann Educational Publishers as an editor. In a span of six years, he had risen to the position of […]
Title: 50 Memos to Men Author: Silas Nyanchwani Publisher: Gram Books Price: sh1250 Reviewer: Mbugua Ngunjiri Growing up in the village, you would occasionally overhear grown-ups say things like: “Huyu mtoto ni mwerevu kuliko miaka yake.” This was often in reference to youngsters perceived to be intelligent beyond their years. Now that I am a […]