Songs to an African Sunset: A Zimbabwean Story (Paperback)

~ Sekai Nzenza-Shand (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

They say love is blind, but Sekai Nzenza-Shand's devotion to her homeland of Zimbabwe is perceptive and penetrating. After spending years in Australia, she returns to her family's village and finds a world where polygamy and witchcraft still rule daily life, where drought and AIDS drain the land and people, and where old traditions live long. She records the daily buckets of water and bundles of firewood, grinding groundnuts into peanut-butter paste, and her mother's bopoto, where a woman makes "a lot of angry noise" in order to have a grievance heard. Writing with insight and affection about old ways and new challenges, Nzenza-Shand weaves a beautiful portrait of her country, people, and village.

Product Description

Songs to an African Sunset is the story of a Zimbabwean woman returning to her country after many years of living in the West. Sekai Nzenza-Shand captures the texture of life in an African village: mourning rituals, village courts, polygamy, traditional beliefs about fertility, ancestral spirits and witchcraft. Her book also offers a moving account of the impact of AIDS on her family, as well as looking at drought, deforestation and the breakdown of traditional structures. An unforgettable picture of contemporary Zimbabwe seen from the perspective of an African women.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0864424728
• ISBN-13: 978-0864424723
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #755,397 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I liked this very much. Helpful in understanding issues., July 17, 1999

By A Customer

I took someone's advice in reading this book. I liked it a lot; it was helpful in understanding the AIDS health issues in southern Africa, as well as cultural, and political situations. My teenaged daughter wrote an excellent school report and radio dramatization based partly on reading this book. I heartily recommend the book to anyone trying to understand more about the country of Zimbabwe and its struggles today.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars conflicting emotions, June 26, 2000

By A Customer

I experienced many different emotions while reading this book. Oftentimes, I found humor where it wasn't expected--the author's 1000 brick punishment for the man who had stolen her bedspread, the feminist caricatures, as well as, the antics at the baby shower (who'da thunk it? ). Similarly, I was also discouraged where it wasn't expected--the medical student who wanted to marry the author's, likely HIV+, sister-in-law (discouraged because if he didn't understand/care about the risk he was taking, how could any of his other relatives?). Furthermore, I was also unpleasantly surprised at the author's depiction of rampant infidelity in the book.

Finally, I particularly enjoyed the stories about the author's mother. She appears to be a particularly savvy and strong woman. Specifically, I found the story of her first beer quite remarkable.

Overall, I've assumed this book to be, like "I, Rigoberta Menchu," auto-biographical in nature and non-fiction that's *based on* the truth of a people. Unfortunately, I don't know if that's a good assumption.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars african villages in modern times - what really happens, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

I found this book to be very very interesting! It's a great insight into how the Zimbabwean people manage to combine their traditional ways in the modern world - and the ensuing problems that arise.

This is one woman's story who returns to her birth country after living in western society. Her insights into the differences (and similarities) between Africa and the West are enlightening.

A fantastic read which combines reality and history!