Say youre one of them is a collection of short stories by nigerian writer uwem akpan, first published in 2008. Even when his twelveyearold sister takes to the streets to raise these meager funds, his dream cant be. Now he serves at christ the king church, ilasamajalagos, nigeria. In say youre one of them, a jesuit priest named uwen akpan personalizes the violence in a series of hardhitting, fastmoving stories that make us understand it in a new, visceral way. Say youre one of them 3 stories by uwem akpan author robin miles. A collection of five stories by uwem akpan, a nigerian pastor, say youre one of them is a hardhitting social commentary on the plight of african children. The eightyearold narrator of an exmas feast needs only enough money to buy books and pay fees in order to attend school. Say youre one of them by uwem akpan all african books. In this extract from say youre one of them, a collection of short stories by ukem akpan, two parents shield their daughter from a terrible secret. After studying philosophy and english at creighton and gonzaga universities, he studied theology for.
Uwem akpan has given nameless invisible victims a voice that is understandable and easily empathetical by people everywhere. Beautiful and devastating, the five tales found in say youre one of them are at once compelling and painful to read. I found myself objecting out loud, rooting for the children, not wanting to believe that the evil would prevail. Say youre one of them proves that great fiction often can reveal more truth than a whole shelf of memoirs and histories. The main characters of this fiction, cultural story are. In 2007 uwem akpans story, my parents house, was shortlisted for the caine prize, which recognises the best short fiction from africa. The eightyearold narrator of an exmas feast needs only enough money to buy books. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2008, and was written by uwem akpan. From child trafficking to interreligious conflicts, uwem akpan reveals. Uwem akpan s searing say youre one of them captures a ravaged africa through the dryeyed gaze of children trying to maintain a sense of normalcy amid chaos.
Jennifer reese, entertainment weekly ew pick grade a a startling debut collection. Or with a change of emphasis, it can be read as say. Nothing interests maman today, not even jean, her favorite child. And you do, which makes this an extraordinary book. Say youre one of them, by uwem akpan the independent. Say youre one of them npr coverage of say youre one of them by uwem akpan. Bookbrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Uwem akpans stunning stories humanize theperils of poverty and violence so piercingly that few readers will feel theyve ever encountered africa so immediately. Awe is the only appropriate response to uwem akpan s stunning debut, say youre one of them, a collection of five stories so ravishing and sad that i regret ever wasting superlatives on fiction that was merely very good. Say youre one of them uwem akpan each story in this jubilantly acclaimed collection pays testament to the wisdom and resilience of children, even in the face of the most agonizing circumstances. Official website of uwem akpan, author of say youre one.
Vogue megan ogrady akpan wants you to see and feel africa, its glory and its pain. Uwem akpan, born the 19 may 1971, is a nigerian jesuit priest and the author of say youre one of them 2008, a collection of five stories each set in a different african country published by. Uwem akpans stunning stories humanize the perils of poverty and violence so piercingly that few readers will feel theyve ever encountered africa so immediately. The eightyearold narrator of an exmas feast needs only enough money to buy books and pay fees in. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Just a few pages into his debut collection, it is easy to see why. The eightyearold narrator of an exmas feast needs only enough money to buy books and pay feesin order to attend school. Excerpt from say youre one of them by uwem akpan, plus. Containing five stories, each set in a different african country, this collection won the 2009 commonwealth writers prize africa region and the 2009 beyond margins award. Uwem akpans debut story collection, say youre one of them, is also an attempt to give witness. Q and a with say youre one of them author uwem akpan. Uwem akpan is a nigerian jesuit priest and writing teacher living in zimbabwe, and his stories are garnering much acclaim. Free download or read online say youre one of them pdf epub book.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 358 pages and is available in hardcover format. The stories are set in different african countries, each one depicting its own problems. Akpan, a nigerian jesuit priest currently assigned to a seminary in zimbabwe, doesnt. Say youre one of them uwem akpans stunning stories humanize theperils of poverty and violence so piercingly that few readers will feel theyve ever encountered africa so immediately. Uwem akpan answers your questions about being a jesuit priest, what his childhood was like and the role his faith played in writing say youre one of them. Publication date 20080609 topics short stories single author. It can be read as say your one them, as in, when the bad guys come, say your one of them to save yourself. Deirdre donahue, usa today s ay youre one of them gives voice to africas children in beautifully crafted prose and stunning detail. Say youre one of them shines a light on the poverty and violence that exists in many african nations.
In 2007, akpan taught at a jesuit college in harare, zimbabwe. Say youre one of them say youre one of them is in a word, haunting. Uwem akpan addressed his other vocation in an interview, saying, a key vatican ii document makes it very clear that the joys and anguish of the world are the joys and anguish of the church. Uwem akpan s first published short story, an exmas feast, appeared in the new yorkers debut fiction issue in 2005.
These extraordinary stories centre on african conflicts as seen through the eyes of children and describes their resilience and endurance in heartbreaking detail. Say youre one of them by uwem akpan overdrive rakuten. Say youre one of them by uwem akpanakpans debut collection focuses on the lives of african children, and all are bleak says alyssa mcdonald. Praise for say youre one of them and author uwem akpan. Unflinching evil in say youre one of them the debut shortstory collection by nigerian writer and jesuit priest uwem akpan offers a sobering view of a. Akpan focuses on the damage done to children in particular, relating atrocities through their tragically limited understanding. Say youre one of them by uwem akpan the greatest books.
I read each paragraph, afraid, anxious of the next. She acts dumb, bewitched, like a goat that the neighborhood children have fed sorghum beer. The storys portrait of a family living together in a makeshift shanty in urban kenya, and their attempts to find gifts of any kind for the impending christmas holiday, gives a matteroffact reality to the most extreme circumstancesand signaled the arrival of a. A family live in a makeshift shanty in urban kenya. Uwem akpan was born in ikot akpan eda in southern nigeria.
1556 514 525 405 1558 964 475 876 1095 779 40 1559 16 403 1167 424 218 412 802 840 1310 908 576 1225 912 1301 1371 1433 334 1426 1384 367 1396 1426 382 521 198 325 933 364 256 636 128