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Showing posts from May, 2017

Why I Spent Three Months Reading One Book

When I got this book in February, I had no idea it would take me this long to finish. I hadn’t even heard about the book before, as it was published over 10 years ago, when I would have been to young to appreciate it. However, I was book shopping, and two things attracted me to it. First- that it was written by one of my favourite Nigerian authors, Helon Habila; and secondly, that it won the Caine Prize, which is a pretty big deal if you ask me.   Mamo and LaMamo, twins born in Northern Nigeria are raised mostly by their aunt, and partly by their father. Each followed a very different path from the other, having contrasting personalities. While the one is outspoken and radical, the other is more reserved and intuitive. LaMamo goes off to war; Mamo is held back by sickness. The long separation makes the brothers respect and admire each other’s differences.   Each twin finds himself held down by something that proved not to be what it seemed. LaMamo wants to fight, to be a