Tuesday, July 25, 2006

“Wizard of the Crow” by Ngugi wa'Thiong'o

John Updike's New Yorker review of Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiong'o is available online here.

Although I'm searching for a few good African novels, I don't think this is a novel that I'll pick up any time soon.

But Ngugi's personal story and its relation to Africa--Kenya, in particular--is very engaging as related by Updike, so do give the review a look. Or, if you are for some reason nursing an anti-Updike bias, click here to read Maya Jaggi's article in the Guardian on the author and novel.

The publisher's description of the book is much more appealing than Updike's account. As is James Gibbons' review in Bookforum.

Click here to read an excerpt from Wizard of the Crow.

--Marshal Zeringue