"This funny, perceptive and ambitious work of historical fiction by a Kenyan poet and novelist explores his country's colonial past and its legacy." — The New York Times Book Review, Editors' ChoiceSet in the shadow of Kenya's independence from Great Britain, Dance of the Jakaranda reimagines the special circumstances that brought black, brown and white men together to lay the railroad that heralded the birth of the nation.The novel traces t...

Kimani reimagines the rise and fall of colonialism in Africa by telling the story of the birth of Kenya's railroad. Set in the shadow of Kenya's independence from Great Britain, Dance of the Jakaranda reimagines the rise and fall of colonialism, and the special circumstances that brought black, brown, and white men together to lay the railroad that heralded the birth of the nation. The novel traces the lives and loves of three men: preacher Richard Turnbull, the colonial administrator Ian ...

This collection of essays reflects on the life and work of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, who celebrated his 80th birthday in 2018. Drawing from a wide range of contributors, including writers, critics, publishers and activists, the volume traces the emergence of Ngugi as a novelist in the early 1960s, his contribution to the African culture of letters at its moment of inception, and his global artistic life in the twenty-first century. Here we have both personal andcritical reflections on the differe...

The Darfur conflict began in February 2003 and became the ‘World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis’ according to the U.N. records. The international community has been slow to respond to the crisis in Darfur. The U.N. Commission of Inquiry in Darfur concluded that the atrocities amounted to ‘war crimes’ and ‘crimes against humanity’ and the Human Rights Watch supported this. Conversely, the U.S. government declared that ‘genocide’ was indeed committed in Darfur. This sentiment was supported by t...

In this anthology, fourteen authors explore dark mysteries in the concrete jungle capital of Kenya, dealing with topics of race, religion, and corruption.Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city.Brand-new stories by: Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Stanley Gazemba, Ngumi Kibe...

Cross-border migration has resulted in many social, cultural, economic, and political challenges that need attention. Globalization, migration, and transnationalism have a strong impact on the lives of diasporic immigrants and refugees. Transnationalism and diaspora, which result from globalization and migration, create transnational social spaces, fields, and formations that affect the everyday practices and engagements of migrants and refugees. Living Beyond the Borders highligh...