Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary (African Writers) [Paperback]

Ngugi Wa Thiong'o (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0435902407 | ISBN-13: 978-0435902407 | Publication Date: August 1982

The international outcry over the detention of Ngugi Wa Thiong'o without trial by the Kenyan authorities even reached him in prison. In this book he describes the purposeful degradation and humiliation of prison life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann (Txt) (August 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0435902407
• ISBN-13: 978-0435902407
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,938,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > African > East African

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Prebendal Forces and the Stars of Hope, August 26, 2000

By 

A. A Agbali "Attah" (Missouri, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary (African Writers) (Paperback)

Ngugi Wa Thiongo is a foremost African author. He has written widely on literary themes and their implication for daily living. He is one of the few authors who have published remarkably in an African language. The only remarkable author from that part of the world is the young, vibrant but now deceased Okot P'Bitek. Ngugi's Detained relishes his ugly and unwarranted prison experiences under the rein of Jomo Kenyatta- an African nationalist who started well burt due to reactionary influences became derailed and unfocused in his vision for the young state. The literary vocation of Ngugi- especially his plays and the critical message that relates to existential situation of poverty and the empowerment of the people was seen as anti-establsihment. He was as a consequence picked up, as is normally the case- an inherited genetic legacy from the colonial era- and dumped into prison. The supposition that the state was almost the exclusive reserve of the sole African-King-leader/head of state provided spurious but not juridical legitimacy to such practices. The book is a reflection of an author who struggled but managed to preoccupy himself while in prison. The author is not alone, in fact he mentioned the experiences of Wole Soyinka as recorded in "The Man Died." This book draws on the historical processes of resistance, and popular empowerment to denounce bourgeois elitist African leaders who had deemed the dreams and aspiration of independence- but forget that Ngugi himself in his book; "Weep not Child" documents the struggles of the Mau Mau resistant movement against colonial rule. Now, in the aftermath of the struggle, one oppressor is simply replaced for another except for skin pigmentation that merely makes the difference. Indigenous colonialism. This book, is an old but yet the insights and vision raised therein remains critically relevant to the struggles of individuals and groups as in their attempt to shrug off oppression, they are crushed by repression into silence in the womb of the bestial prison machinery. These gory institutions is truly meant to crush and recrush its subjects into dehumanized existence. Only very few are lucky to get out to tell their tales- like Ngugi. Others are not so lucky we only get to hear from them- through smuggled materials from prison. Ngugi offers us insights as to the dynamics of prisons as a mechanism of dismantling- if not eliminating- political opponents into resignation or death. But yet they are many who resists the temptation and that is how belligerent political prisoners can be. Even in freedom Ngugi tells the tale of his dispossession-as the possibility of work- a sure means to survival- was denied him. Freedom comes with strings- accept it or reject it- or even fight against it- and that is why being free outside the world of the prison is such a splendid thing. Ngugi equally makes a connection between the multinational or capitalist interests who are intent on submerging the hard-fought gains of independence, with economic subjugation with the attempt to dissipate the so-called radical element that stand in their way and their assumed ability to make and reproduce money and profit. What a shame!!! This book is a very revealing and insightful book. Every reader is bound to reap something good and exciting from Ngugi's experience, and the situation of bondage to which the third world-especially African nations- are held. Nevertheless, people like Ngugi and his future acolytes hold up a vision of hope for the continent and her people. Up goes the torch and there to illumine the darkness. Read on and savour its sweetness!!!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic Experience of a prisoner of concience, February 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary (African Writers) (Paperback)

This book was a good expose on the experiences of one of the many Kenyan prisoners of concience. Ngugi manages to paint a picture of the beginings and subsequent life experiences of a detainee in very good detail. I recommend this book to every one and especially Kenyans who are interested in having a first hand detail of the life of a detainee.