Writers: Nozuko Poni, Melody Chironda

Headline: Book reviews

 Simphiwe Dana shares books that have impacted  her life.

As a kid

I was around the age of nine, when I found this book in our library that changed my outlook on life – Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

This is the story of Okwonkwo. A man growing up in staunchly patriarchal Africa, who lives to experience the evil of colonialism and the loss of his power (manhood). The beauty and the ugliness of the African culture as pertaining to our way of life, and the treatment of women, is laid bare in this haunting classic.

This book taught me to be rebellious to cultural expectations that had a negative impact on my growth and freedoms as a woman. It also taught me the beauty of the African way of life, the seamless interaction between life and the spirit world.

Writers: Nozuko Poni, Melody Chironda