Welcome to Litsy!

Waberi is probably the best-known Djiboutian author in the world. He currently teaches francophone literature at George Washington University. Balbala is a short but dense political novel about #Djibouti. Clearly, I get on better with his poetry than his novels, but I'll persevere. I saw him at a couple of round tables last weekend (hence the photo - he's right in the middle), and he is a very engaging public speaker.

We read about the clashes between modern and traditional #Djibouti through the eyes of two estranged brothers. One left for Canada but has returned to research the possibilities for American investments, the other stayed and dedicated his life to the Quran.
The former brother keeps records of his observations and memories. They are interspersed with letters from his brother in prison who seems to observe his every move.

#ReadingAfrica2022 🇩🇯

#WeeklyForecast 47/22

Three completely different books lined up for this week. Current read is the Hamid, it‘s on the #ToB23 longlist. The tagged book is a birthday gift from @Liz_M that I‘ll read for #ReadingAfrica2023 and the third one is a romance novel! I don‘t often read them but I did like our Buddyread book Seven Days In June. I asked @CarolynM for recommendations and she mentioned this one. I am looking forward to it!

Still chipping away at this book - it‘s sort of cool to be inside the heads of the 9/11 hijacker‘s as they begin to Americanize themselves. From getting their hair cut & styled, to tasting alcohol and speaking directly to women. It was such a HUGE operation on SO MANY levels. Really shocking what they were able to carry out. And according to this book, SOME in the US intelligence KNEW that a MAJOR terrorist attack was being carried out on US soil

It‘s not a “spy novel“ or “political thriller” due to the lack of plot and momentum. Instead, it is a multilayered story told through three texts. The reader is dropped into the world, not really understanding what Djibril is doing there, or the role of the Muslim prisoner. Context is slowly provided through disjointed memories or religious-influenced monologues. I found it intellectually interesting but emotionally flat and bereft of tension.

Jama is a young Somalian boy when his mother dies in the port city of Aden, Yemen, and so he decides he will undertake a trek to find his father, who he believes to be a “driver” somewhere in #Sudan. Thus begins his travels across north Africa & on to England all during the most dangerous time the world has ever seen, WWII. He is smart and lucky (thanks to his being born under the lucky sign of the black mamba). But he also makes stupid ⬇️

I finished this audiobook tonight. It grew on me over time and I‘m looking forward to reviewing it. In the meantime it has helped me complete a few countries for #readingafrica2022: #Somalia #Eritrea #Djibouti and #Sudan. Some of it takes place in #Egypt too. It‘s free for Audible subscribers and it certainly helped with the challenge! It can be a rough read but it‘s very good. Review to come. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

A journey like no other. A heart wrenching yet hopeful story of young Jama, a boy from Yemen, who travels across Africa and Asia with nothing more than dreams, determination and the goal to find his father. What makes this book even more special, the events of WWII are on the periphery of the story leading to a fascinating background. Stunning narration #Hoopla #ReadingAfrica22 I‘m using for #Eritrea and #Djibouti

This book is heart wrenching- so bleak, yet you can‘t stop rooting/ hoping/ praying for young Jama - a Somalian boy searching for his father who he believes is a soldier fighting in Sudan. This works for many African countries so far - #Djibouti #Eritrea #Somalia #Sudan #ReadingAfrica22 #OutstandingAudio 🎧❤️🙌🏻

A group of Swedish soldiers take some locals in #Djibouti to a shooting range, where someone ends up dead. Investigator Ernst Grip is called in to investigate and while there gets involved with a search for a Swedish family hijacked by Somali pirates. This could be a complete testosterone fest but it‘s not—Grip is bisexual and the main female characters are strong women not described by their bodies. I liked it!

#ReadingAfrica2022