BOOKS FROM BOTSWANAFar and Beyon’
by Unity Dow
Tags:
Set in Botswana
Female author
Description:
For Mara, mother of four, sole provider for her family, life has never been easy. In a community that relies upon traditional magic to cure AIDS, and blames bad luck upon a bewitching curse, women carry a heavy burden as the world changes around them. But in modern Botswana, the tensions are growing as more and more young people adopt white ways and challenge the heavily divided structure of African society. For Mara, it is her children's dismissal of all the ancient magicks that have held families together for generations; for her son Stan it is the opportunities represented by his white teachers and the education system; and for daughter Mosa it is her burgeoning awareness of the inequality of her home, and community. Together they will develop new strengths and define new goals, enabling them all to triumph and travel 'far and beyon'.
Reviews:
(6 months ago) |
17 May, 2024
This is a very important and beautifully written story about women’s place in a changing Botswana. It tackles AIDS, child abuse, culture clashes, education for girls and degrading social structures with grace and dignity. I put this book on the top of my Read Around Africa list because it illustrates the power of the arts to effect change in an otherwise recalcitrant world.
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