Meja Mwangi

A well-known Kenyan writer...in Kenya. I read a “young adult” book by him a few months ago (The Mzungu Boy) and it was very well-done. He is prolific (over 20 novels by my count since the 1970s; he was born in 1948) and translated into German and French (and even one in Portuguese). So I thought I’d tackle a bona-fide novel. The story is simple: Baba Pesa, "The Father of Money," owns 3 acres of prime farmland but craves the 10-acre plot owned by his neighbor who barely makes enough to survive. Baba Pesa is a bully and at times a caricature, but a strength of the novel is the cast of characters from his own family, his neighbor’s family, and the town. Nearly all are skillfully drawn. Not least is his eldest son, the wise drunk (with his dog, Confucius the Thinker) who lectures his fellow villagers on the greater values in life from a windmill. There is a lot of humor, more than a little wisdom, and even some Shakespearean touches. The book is quite an easy read and often quite funny. I also found what I consider to be ways of storytelling that owe a great deal to the ancient oral tradition. Mostly it’s enjoyable and a worthwhile look into post-colonial Kenya.… (més)

This is a riot of a book; a wild ride. Mwangi's story is as long as it takes to build Development Centre. Ben is a labouring hand; Ocholla is a crane operator, and they are best buddies. Ben lives with Wini and her Baby, but Wini disappears. Then, one day the landlord locks his room, so he and Baby move into Ocholla's shack by the stinking Nairobi River. On payday they go to Karara Centre and drink... what else, Karara. Sex workers browse, drunks drink, fight, dance, sleep, smoke, everybody smokes. They lean on each other, living one day at a time, hand to mouth, never looking far enough ahead except to next payday. A laugh and a cry all at once, Mwangi's characters are way too human. I'm going back for more.

On the bus: "the fat buttocks sway into Ben's mouth. Her perfume catches in his throat. He taps the woman's fine rump.
'Keep your arse off me, woman.'
'It is the bus,' she cries.
'Try and hang on to the bloody rail,' he advises.… (més)

A gritty, raw look at life in the streets of Nairobi.And this was early 70's!
A bright student in a village in Kenya, going to the big city for work after graduating top of the class, but not finding a job. Pride keeps him from returning to the village and his life erodes away in the brutal world of urban destitution.

Actually, Kill Me Quick is one of the nicknames for chang'aa, potent Kenyan moonshine.

Mwangi is an excellent writer. However, I warn potential reader's that Kill Me Quick is not a feel-good book… (més)