Get Breathing in here...that girl can read.

I don't know where to get African novels close to me and i think they cost way too much.

uj_sizzle: Get Breathing in here...that girl can read.

I don't know where to get African novels close to me and i think they cost way too much.

The best place is the national library

I don't know Breathing tho

I can get Weeep Not Child from the bookstores.

Larry-Sun:
I can get Weeep Not Child from the bookstores.

cool, how soon?

HumbledbYGrace: cool, how soon?

Before weekend, I guess.

Larry-Sun:

Before weekend, I guess.

gr8 stuff

I will post the questions we r gonna kickstart with on friday

HumbledbYGrace: Morning guys

I have done some research and so far I haven't seen anythin interesting, especially when we are an 'online' book club. I wonder if some people will actually keep up as I see people dragging their feet here. I chose a book which none of you could get provided its a Nigerian product!

Anyway there are mordern Nigerian books but some of us don't have access to e-books, I don't have internet access except on my phone.

This is the list of five books that we are gonna kickstart with, forgive me if m being harsh.

1. When rain clouds gather-Bessie Head

2.Maru - bessie Head

3. Cry the beloved country - Alan Paton

4.Comfort Herself- Geraldine Kaye

5. Weep not child- Ngugi wA thiong'o

All this book are non Nigerian but please let me know which of them you agree on. And we will discuss on sunday afternoon.

Please ma'am can we add these books too;things fall apart by Chinua Achebe(Nigerian) and A woman in her prime by Asare Konadu(Ghanaian). I came across these books in my search for african novels and decided to share.

We already have a book holding a ghananian crown; Comfort herself. Can we add it for next month

Actually they can be on da front line for next week

HumbledbYGrace: The best place is the national library

I don't know Breathing tho

The national library in Nigeria? I don't think the libraries here are that good.

Anyway, it's not time to be harsh yet except you don't want anyone to participate, some of these books are pretty difficult to find especially since we don't borrow from national libraries. [s]Is second chance a book about a boy whose mother was a prostitute[/s]? I suggest you start with older/cheaper books that most people can find easily, maybe when this gets more interesting, the participants would be more motivated to go searching for scarce books, for now, maybe they don't know what to expect yet.

I think the suggested things fall apart and weep not child are good, though more recent books like Adichie's Purple Hibiscus would have been more fun to discuss. You could easily get a reader's group guide for these books off the internet and start. I'd try to find any book you chose sha but the easier to find, the better. And I'd try to bring more African literature junkies to the thread. Looking forward to this.

@Uj_sizzle,@Breathing my fellow diarylanders, thank you for gracing this club with your presence.we look forward to your full participation.

breathing:

The national library in Nigeria? I don't think the libraries here are that good.

Anyway, it's not time to be harsh yet except you don't want anyone to participate, some of these books are pretty difficult to find especially since we don't borrow from national libraries. [s]Is second chance a book about a boy whose mother was a prostitute[/s]? I suggest you start with older/cheaper books that most people can find easily, maybe when this gets more interesting, the participants would be more motivated to go searching for scarce books, for now, maybe they don't know what to expect yet.

I think the suggested things fall apart and weep not child are good, though more recent books like Adichie's Purple Hibiscus would have been more fun to discuss. You could easily get a reader's group guide for these books off the internet and start. I'd try to find any book you chose sha but the easier to find, the better. And I'd try to bring more African literature junkies to the thread. Looking forward to this.

Where were u?

My internet access is limited, I can only be able to discuss books I have in hard copy. Second chance? No its not the one u might have stumbled upon.

*If there is anyone who can be able to find the book u mentioned online and paste it here, chapter by chapter I think our problems wud be solved.

Just like the Nairaland bookclub where books r readily available.

Thanks for stopping by.

HumbledbYGrace:

Where were u?

My internet access is limited, I can only be able to discuss books I have in hard copy. Second chance? No its not the one u might have stumbled upon.

*If there is anyone who can be able to find the book u mentioned online and paste it here, chapter by chapter I think our problems wud be solved.

Just like the Nairaland bookclub where books r readily available.

Thanks for stopping by.

Goodmorning. It's not every book one can post here, the authors wouldn't like that. Anyway, in this case, maybe we should start off with Chimamanda Adichie's 'The thing around your neck'. It's a collection of short stories, most or all of which are available online. I could post the stories here while we discuss them one after the other, I already found an interesting reading guide for it. With time we'd find other easily accessible books too. What do you think.

@D-deola: Hi, tnx for starting this too, really nice.

breathing:

Goodmorning. It's not every book one can post here, the authors wouldn't like that. Anyway, in this case, maybe we should start off with Chimamanda Adichie's 'The thing around your neck'. It's a collection of short stories, most or all of which are available online. I could post the stories here while we discuss them one after the other, I already found an interesting reading guide for it. With time we'd find other easily accessible books too. What do you think.

@D-deola: Hi, tnx for starting this too, really nice.

I know but like I said its not everyone w4 internet access to his/her lappie and for now m still using ma mobile, till further notice. Let's work with wat is available. Thank you by da way

HumbledbYGrace: I know but like I said its not everyone w4 internet access to his/her lappie and for now m still using ma mobile, till further notice. Let's work with wat is available. Thank you by da way

Does this mean you agree or disagree with the thing around your neck option.

breathing:

Does this mean you agree or disagree with the thing around your neck option.

lol Breathing....

I agree with ur short story suggestion, something to keep us going while we get the books I listed before.

Open a thread for the stories or we cud use the main thread for the postings because this one is strictly for discussion. Thanks

HumbledbYGrace: lol Breathing....

I agree with ur short story suggestion, something to keep us going while we get the books I listed before.

Open a thread for the stories or we cud use the main thread for the postings because this one is strictly for discussion. Thanks

I've posted the first story here.

https://www.nairaland.com/1172162/stories-book-discussion-club-africa#up

I like The thing around your neck. I've got the book

I think a thing or two is missing from that story, but then it could be my imagination. We should also read the other story in the book about an arranged marriage.


I'd say it's a great book. I especially loved the concept of writing in the second person singular and how life in the America is portrayed from the view point of a poor n helpless girl without bias, who was eager to test all she'd heard about the country only to find a lot of things wrong with the people and her struggle to come to terms with all the contrast in their worlds.

When her uncle said America was all give and take, i interpreted it to mean a person wanting to survive will need to let go of their dignity, pride and in some cases identity. More or less he believes you'll have to remold yourself to fit in, become an errand boy/puppet/sycophant if need be and get whatever benefits would come from it. What we like to term 'scratch my back n I'll scratch yours'.

After she left her uncle's home, there was the feeling of insecurity, anxiety, fear and loneliness from our protagonist. A feeling that made her want to disappear, right until she met olive eyed boy. He made all the fear go away...almost. He made her laugh effortlessly which was something she hadn't done in a long time. She's also wary of white people...maybe the feeling of inferiority? But she feels comfy with olive eyes because he's different and maybe she's a little scared she'll always be alone.

However i don't think she's coming back to him. Their rship attracts a lot of drama and she'sss beginning to see just how different they really are. She hugs him like she's sayin goodbye forever.

uj_sizzle: I think a thing or two is missing from that story, but then it could be my imagination. We should also read the other story in the book about an arranged marriage.


I'd say it's a great book. I especially loved the concept of writing in the second person singular and how life in the America is portrayed from the view point of a poor n helpless girl without bias, who was eager to test all she'd heard about the country only to find a lot of things wrong with the people and her struggle to come to terms with all the contrast in their worlds.

When her uncle said America was all give and take, i interpreted it to mean a person wanting to survive will need to let go of their dignity, pride and in some cases identity. More or less he believes you'll have to remold yourself to fit in, become an errand boy/puppet/sycophant if need be and get whatever benefits would come from it. What we like to term 'scratch my back n I'll scratch yours'.

After she left her uncle's home, there was the feeling of insecurity, anxiety, fear and loneliness from our protagonist. A feeling that made her want to disappear, right until she met olive eyed boy. He made all the fear go away...almost. He made her laugh effortlessly which was something she hadn't done in a long time. She's also wary of white people...maybe the feeling of inferiority? But she feels comfy with olive eyes because he's different and maybe she's a little scared she'll always be alone.

However i don't think she's coming back to him. Their rship attracts a lot of drama and she'sss beginning to see just how different they really are. She hugs him like she's sayin goodbye forever.

Nice one Uj, my low ba3 won't let me respond until later today. Yeah, we are gonna be reviewing the whole book which means as many stories from it as can be found free online What do you think was missing from the story btw.

Errrm ladies we discussing on Sunday afternoon

HumbledbYGrace: Errrm ladies we discussing on Sunday afternoon

Ladies Oh! Now it's turned a 'Women's Discussion Club', right? Great.

HumbledbYGrace: Errrm ladies we discussing on Sunday afternoon

Ooops, ladies and gentlemen, till sunday then.

Larry-Sun:

Ladies Oh! Now it's turned a 'Women's Discussion Club', right? Great.

Ola is missing, please take the talk to the main thread

Purple Hibiscus.... Me likey, me have it, me not read it.

Humbledbygrace, you sound too harsh abeg

teeo: Purple Hibiscus.... Me likey, me have it, me not read it.

Humbledbygrace, you sound too harsh abeg

Sorry guys.

The Thing Around Your Neck:

• Grade the story as great, bad or average and state your reasons for this.
I'd call it a great story. I love the narrative. Reading it makes it feel like its really you who left Nigeria.

• When "your" uncle says that "America was give-and-take", what did you think he meant?

Life in general is give and take, I think the reason the uncle specifically mentioned America is because he meant that in America one had to give up specific things, like one's identity, dignity, for success... She finally chose to give up her education for her dignity, but one can't say she succeeded in America.

What is the thing around your neck"? What finally loosens it?
The thing around her neck was depression, uncertainty, fear. She felt alone, and invisible. 'He' finally loosens it for her. She felt safe in his arms. He knew her, to an extent at least!


• Do you think "you" (the protagonist) will return to him (Her boyfriend)?
No, I don't think she would return to him, though I find it extremely silly to leave a nice guy with such a nice family just because you don't like the way the general public react to the relationship. Smh! Or maybe she never loved him, she just used him to get rid of whatever it was around her neck.

¤I think it's a great story especially when it points to 'you' as if i was the one who did all those things.it kept me reading on.
¤your uncle says, america is give and take,i think the world is give and take.you have to give to receive.In 'you's' case she had a choice,of course everyone has a choice to give or not to give.you didn't give her dignity but she gave her education,either ways she gave something to take another.
¤I think the thing around your neck indicates her struggles,her loneliness,her aloneness even,sadness.All these are enough to make a heart heavy and that's the reason for thing around your neck.
¤'you' is never going back to him.she's too concerned about what others said and thought, to hold on to the man that made her feel safe and loved her even.

¤I think it's a great story especially when it points to 'you' as if i was the one who did all those things.it kept me reading on.
¤your uncle says, america is give and take,i think the world is give and take.you have to give to receive.In 'you's' case she had a choice,of course everyone has a choice to give or not to give.you didn't give her dignity but she gave her education,either ways she gave something to take another.
¤I think the thing around your neck indicates her struggles,her loneliness,her aloneness even,sadness.All these are enough to make a heart heavy and that's the reason for thing around your neck.
¤'you' is never going back to him.she's too concerned about what others said and thought, to hold on to the man that made her feel safe and loved her even.

Wow it looks like people think alike here but I hate the fact that she addressed herself as the second person

I hate doing things orderly....like we are in class of literature learning about macbeth.

Can we move to the next story?

Hi everyone...'Am in. What's up?

HumbledbYGrace: Wow it looks like people think alike here but I hate the fact that she addressed herself as the second person

I hate doing things orderly....like we are in class of literature learning about macbeth.

Can we move to the next story?

How does moving to the next story change the fact that you hate how its being done. I like the fact that you don't wanna be limited by reading guides. I'd thought it would make it easier. Maybe I should mention that the participants shouldn't feel hindered by the reading guide, if you want to use it, fine, if you don't, give your impression of the story however you want it. I'd post the next story tomorrow. I'm tempted to ask why you hate that she wrote in the second person sing?

Hi Centje: Here is how it works, you go here to read the story https://www.nairaland.com/1172162/stories-book-discussion-club-africa#up, then you come back and comment on it on this thread.

^Ok...thanks!