'A Grain of Wheat' by Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a novel set in Kenya during the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule in the 1950s. The story follows multiple characters who are dealing with the aftermath of war, colonial rule, and personal betrayals. The narrative weaves together themes of oppression, betrayal, disillusionment, and love, creating a vivid portrayal of the complexities present during Kenya's transition to independence. Ngugi wa Thiong'o's writing style is described as bleak, difficult, but worth the effort, as he delves into the dark past of the characters and the atrocities committed during the struggle for freedom.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include themes of violence, trauma from colonial oppression, psychological distress, and betrayal.
Has Romance?
There are elements of romance present, notably with the character Mumbi, whose relationships intersect with the male protagonists.
From The Publisher:
A masterly story of myth, rebellion, love, friendship and betrayal from one of Africa's great writers, Ngugi wa Thiong'o's A Grain of Wheat includes an introduction by Abdulrazak Gurnah, author of By the Sea, in Penguin Modern Classics.
It is 1963 and Kenya is on the verge of Uhuru - Independence Day. The mighty british government has been toppled, and in the lull between the fighting and the new world, colonized and colonizer alike reflect on what they have gained and lost. In the village of Thabai, the men and women who live there have been transformed irrevocably by the uprising. Kihika, legendary rebel leader, was fatally betrayed to the whiteman. Gikonyo's marriage to the beautiful Mumbi was destroyed when he was imprisoned, while her life has been shattered in other ways. And Mugo, brave survivor of the camps and now a village hero, harbours a terrible secret. As events unfold, compromises are forced, friendships are betrayed and loves are tested.
Kenyan novelist and playwright Ngugi wa Thiong'o is the author of Weep Not Child (1964), The River Between (1965), and Petals of Blood (1977). Ngugi was chair of the Department of Literature at the University of Nairobi from 1972 to 1977. He left Kenya in 1982 and taught at various universities in the United States before he became professor of comparative literature and performance studies at New York University in 1992.
If you enjoyed A Grain of Wheat, you might like Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.
'With Ngugi history is a living tissue ... this book adds cubits to his already considerable stature'
Guardian
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About the Author:
Ngugi wa Thiong'o is one of the leading writers and scholars at work in the world today. His books include the novels Petals of Blood, for which he was imprisoned by the Kenyan government in 1977, A Grain of Wheat and Wizard of the Crow; the memoirs, Dreams in a Time of War, In the House of the Interpreter and Birth of a Dream Weaver; and the essays, Decolonizing the Mind, Something Torn and New and Globalectics. Recipient of many honours, among them ten honorary doctorates, he is currently Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine.
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