Kenyan Authors

How far can a man go to win the love of a woman? That is the question at the heart of this novella by Ng’ang’a Mbugua. Presented as a stream of consciousness, the narrative recalls the life and travails of Sonko Wakadosi, a man who is as much a victim of social circumstances as his own follies, both of which conspire to trap him in a vicious and tragic drama. Yet, this is also a story about the consequences of the unchecked conflict between man and wild animals at a time when climate change and environmental degradation have man locked in a losing battle with the forces of nature. Written in a light, humourous and satirical style, the book won the Wahome Mutahi Literary Prize in 2010 and in 2011 was runner up in the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, Kenya’s biggest award for fiction. The first edition was published in 2009 and reprinted in 2012. The book has been selected as a study text for a Masters class at the University of Nairobi and undergraduate class at Daystar University, Nairobi.