Customer Reviews

L'Enfant Noir (French Edition)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is amazing how Camara Laye gave an accurate account of the day to day life of all young African boys in this book. Although not from his native Guinee (Conakry), could relate to scenes, stories as if it occured in my own life each time I came into contact with the rural area of my native D. R. of the Congo (either by visiting or from my classmates accounts of their lives in the countryside. Moreover, it recaptures the two cultures standing side by side, the Western and the traditional African as lived and experienced by African boys. The family structure, going to school, playing in the farmes, visits to the city, etc... This is a very powerful testimony of the uniqueness and common shared experiences in the vast and multicolor Africa.

This was a wonderful book. It read very fluently and was more captivating than most biographies. L'Enfant noir is a wonderful example of the movement known as La Negritude, and it is the best French-language book I have ever read.

I am bilingual and have greatly enjoyed this wonderful and captivating, autobiography of the social education of a young boy in Guinee. The author gives considerable understanding to the reader of the customs of Guinee and of the responsibilties of a young boy in that country. The whole book is enthralling and definitely worth reading to understand the African continent.

I've adopted this into my AP French course. It has many great themes in it that parallel the new AP College Board themes for students to study before taking the AP Exam.