Customer Reviews

You Must Set Forth at Dawn: A Memoir

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

 

 

This is my first taste of Soyinka's work, except for the few scenes of "The Lion and The Jewel" I gleaned many years ago.

I haven't read many autobiographies, but this is without question one of the best I have read. Solidly written, with a plethora of hilarious, as well as sobering anecdotes, and a masterful deployment of literary devices, this, surely is a chef-d'oeuvre. However, this book is not only an autobiography but an excellent historical account of Nigeria's political history since independence in 1960.

Catapulted right into the middle of the action and intrigue that took hold of the nation, I learned new things and gained a lot of useful insight into how the nation became to be what it is today and the various roles of those involved in shaping its destiny.

I grabbed this book because I wanted to learn more about the history of my country from the mouth of a seasoned literary figure. I was astounded to discover that he was completely involved in the struggle right from the beginning. What is more, I was rewarded with a distinctive literary style and all the rewards it brings - new vocabulary, new expressions, and more knowledge.

And I completely disagree with those who complain that Soyinka is too wordy and dawdles over many unnecessary details before getting to the real thing. What real thing are they searching for, anyway? This, after all, is a memoir. Moreover, every page, every word was an absolute treat.

Of course, I do not necessarily agree with all his ideologies, but his honest style through which he sometimes seems to contradict himself, is but a true reflection of how the human mind works.

Highly recommended, and you can be sure to be rewarded with far more than you intially expected at the end of this book.

Soyinka skilfully offers refreshing glimpses into his life as a humble, honest and courageous individual. He is deeply spiritual but definitely not a holier-than-thou prude. Soyinka's infectious enjoyment of life comes across in his passion for hunting, wine, music, art and, of course, women. It seems that it is this enduring appreciation of the immense possibilities of life that drives his resistance to dictatorship and systems that seek to rob the individual of the opportunity to partake in the sacrement of life. The man, his art and his politics are inseperable.

Mr. Soyinka, masterfully uses his life as a running commentary for the state of political affairs in Nigeria since 1960. While the book does speak on a lot of serious issues there are many moments of hilarity such as when W.H Auden passes him off as an African Prince and the quest to recover an acient mask that led Mr. Soyinka to Brazil.
Mr. Soyinka's style tends to be a little heavy on grammar but overall it is a great book, one that I am happy to have bought.

I disagree with all those who think this is an exercise, by the author, in self aggrandisement and hubris.Far from it, this is an old man telling the story, or some stories, of the often turbulent and privileged life he has lived.To say the book is boring is an unfair comment by those who may seem threatened by Soyinka's word prowess.

I have enjoyed all Soyinka's prose more than his poetry, and even drama( the beatification of area boy comes to mind)in some cases.However,I have always seen it as a necessity to arm oneself with a dictionary when attempting a Soyinka work.He makes no apologies for his use of hifaluting words; the imagery invoked at times is most beautiful and at others , it is lost on the reader as it is totally incomprehensible.In that respect, I do sympathise with a lot of readers.I too have struggled to grasp certain concepts, and to undertsand his use of certain terms.Having said this, my diction and imagination have become the better for it.

This book is well written, but there is a lack of coherence in the chapters -one idea set forth in one area is so far removed from its predecessor or successor.Also, a lot of what he has written has been mentioned, allbeit, cursorily, in his other works-The Man Died, Ibadan:The Penkelemes Years.Did he really need to rehash the same things? Maybe and maybe not. A lot of people who are not too familiar with the development of Nigeria may not readily appreciate the social dynamics and certain characters mentioned in the book. I guess I have had the (dis)honour of having lived in some of the turbulent times and am familiar with a lot of the villains as told through Soyinka's eyes.I may have been a child in the eighties, but felt the brunt of the Buhari-Idiagbon regime, the corruption of the Babangida era, and the tyranny of Sani Abacha.I could readily identify with what the author what saying.Perhaps that is why some others may find it difficult to appreciate that part of a country's history;the linguistic sophistication does not help matters either.


There were passages of sheer beauty, and there you see Soyinka excel in his use of vocabulary.Compared to his other works, I found I did not have to consult my dictionary as often.I suspect it is an improvement in my diction and not the author becoming soft.

Overall, I think if one were to take up the challenge of reading the book there is some reward; it may be in learning new words, grasping new concepts and ways of presenting ideas. More importantly, others who have never been to, or been exposed to, Nigeria, will get to know its beauty,its people, the decimation and ruination of its collective psyche by past leaders, and how the inchoate democracy is striving to reclaim that lost glory.

For those who have a fixed mindset that Professor's books are tough read, then you might skip this. It not a difficult read but he expounds his struggle to fix a nation in his own corner and how he carried his influence throughout his adulthood. As a Nigerian with huge respect for his person, Wole Soyinka explains his web of influence with emphasis on Femi Johnson (a close friend), his sojourns in civil war, brazil and his Nobel prize. His place in saving the Nigerian project and how he tried to rescue it from psychpaths. He use of language was never mild on military dictators and his use of words is compelling.To describe him as pompous seems self serving, our avatar is telling his story. A good read....try it with much patience

Memoir - a written record of a usually famous person's own life and experiences.

I present the following as a rebuttal to the often cited criticism found among these reviews. When one reads a memoir, one should expect the author to write of his own thoughts, feelings and experiences. For a hundred pages, or so, I found W.S. writing about himself a bit off-putting, however, by the end of the book I had come to like, admire, and respect him.

This is a book about a highly accomplished African and the events that defined him in the eyes of the world. His must be one of the most positive stories to come out of Africa in the 20th century. The prominent role he played in the political history of Nigeria is quite incredible. It is hard to imagine a writer/playwright/poet and social critic having a similar impact in the U.S.A.

This is also a history of post-independence Nigeria, albeit from the somewhat narrow perspective of W.S. While the book may lack the scope of a dedicated, general history, it does show events from a very personal perspective. You almost feel as if you are a fly on the wall as W.S. maneuvers in the Nigerian political arena.

What the author lacks in humility he makes up for with pomposity and self-aggrandizment. Yes he does track political events in Nigeria in the 60's and yes he does have some sobering and slightly amusing anecdotes. But trying to wade through the wordiness to get to a kernel of information is maddening. Working one's way through the ego and self-centeredness is hardly worth the slog. Skip it and go on to something else unless you're the type that likes to drive slivers under your own fingernails.

Imagine being from a country where you can't go to your father's funeral,unless you want to follow his with yours. The story of how Soyinka deals with that time almost makes up for the failures of his editor.
This is a good book that could have been tighter and a little less self centered, if self centered can be a fair criticism of a memoir.

This has to be one of the worst books I've ever read...or almost read. If you enjoy a sentence that's more than a page long, you just may like it though. The author is so puffed up it's as if he's gazing at himself in a mirror, strutting his tail feathers for all to see. Our book club felt the same.

This author took almost 250 pages before you could really get
into the book. It was very wordy and nothing said really kept
you wanting to go forward. Our reading group decided to read this and none of us could finish the book and many never started. Our discussion leader was very determined and forced
herself to read until the end. She was kind enough to point out
some good parts. On pages 436-440, his thoughts were timely as
to the world situation today. This is a read for someone who
really likes a challenge!!