Taking her cue from The Canterbury Tales, Karen King-Aribisala has written a strikingly original work that is both modern and essentially African. Her novel takes place in a Nigeria where the abuse of power assumes many forms. The central protagonist, The Black Lady, urges concerned citizens to join her on a symbolic journey to the new federal capital of Abuja, where they will air their views and share their visions for the future of the society. On the way, they tell stories, addressing the themes of moral/political decadence, female oppression in a patriarchal society, and a new age where both men and women compete for power. These stories are a unique mixture of poetry and prose narratives that echo traditional African storytelling, where tales are often interspersed with songs and poetry.
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About the Author
Karen King-Aribisala lectures in English at the University of Lagos. She is the author of Our Wife and Other Stories, which won the 1990/91 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book (African Region).
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nigerian Canterbury Tales,
By A Customer
This review is from: Kicking Tongues (African Writers) (Paperback)
Kicking Tongues is a re-telling of the Canterbury Tales, in the context of Contemporary Nigeria. Several People (the Pilgrims) are on their way to the Capital City of Abuja, to redress their grievances against various injustices. They enter a discussion, telling their stories. The Tour Guide serves as the Moderator, and introduces each Character with a poem. In the end, she concludes with some observations, from a eternal and Biblical perspective. The poems are beautiful, the stories are gripping, and the author's understanding is profound. If you want to move beyond textbooks, and learn how various people feel in Nigeria, read this book. It is one of the finest pieces of Christian Literature in years.
2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Kicking Tongues (African Writers) (Paperback)
Dear Aunt Karen,Although I've not read this book, I know that it must be among the best books ever written because you wrote it. Besides, I loved "Our Wife and Other Stories".
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