The last information I read on the long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie was that he intended to take up arms and join the Ethiopian army to fight against the inserruction in his home country. This man with so a long list of victories no longer runs the races to compete for world titles or Olympic … Continue reading review HAILE GEBRSELASSIE
review DE AFRIKAANSE WEG
How many people have travelled from Cape to Cairo over the years? Some have become famous, some have stayed in the background. Some have travelled on foot, some used a pushbike, others used a car. Ton van der Lee has joined the long list of travellers. For the writer of this book Africa was not … Continue reading review DE AFRIKAANSE WEG
Maaza Mengiste: ‘The language of war is always masculine’
The writer Maaza Mengiste was born in Ethiopia and moved at a young age to the United States of America with her family. She has not forgotten her roots and her history and the people she belongs to. Ethiopia is part and parcel of her life. In her latest book The Shadow King she takes … Continue reading Maaza Mengiste: ‘The language of war is always masculine’
“The personal is political”
The Ethiopian writer Nebila Abdulmelik tells about her short story Oma (that looks like the Afrikaner word for ‘grandmother’) that has been longlisted for The short story is dead, long live the short story!
Review of HORN OF AFRICA
Let me first write a few things about the author Philip Caputo (1941), for this will help in finding the context for his book Horn of Africa. He worked in the American army, serving in Vietnam. For many years he was a journalist in the Near East (or Middle East) as a correspondent for The … Continue reading Review of HORN OF AFRICA
Helon Habila, Maaza Mengiste named The New American Voices award judges
Helon Habila (Nigeria) and Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia/USA) form, together with Madeleine Thein, USA), the jury of a literary prize. The prize is run by an organization with a long name. The name is the Institute for Immigration Research New American Voices Award. The winner of the prize will receive $5000.
books touched by Africa 