Black Papyrus (Paperback)

by Bret Galloway (Author)
Key Phrases: porridge pot, bua nnete, monna mogolo, Big Boy, Nurse Keatlaretse, Kitchener Semumu (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Life in Shakawe, a small village in northwestern Botswana, moves slowly, its days mesmerized by the rhythmic buzzing of locusts and its nights lulled by the plaintive chanting of frogs. Its cycles and permanence, its beauty and its darkness, are echoed in the languid Okavango River that runs past the village, ebbing and flowing in time to the relentless seasons. "Black Papyrus" comprises twelve separate but intertwined stories recounting one year in the life of this village, which stands delicately perched on the threshold of the modern world, its old ways rapidly fading.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: UNLIMITED PUBLISHING LLC (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158832088X
• ISBN-13: 978-1588320889
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,857,862 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magical Journey, February 11, 2004

By	Judith B. Oakes (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

In this magical book, Mr. Galloway takes the reader away to an African village where the reader quickly becomes immersed in the lives of the village's inhabitants. The author brings the village alive so skillfully that one can actually see, taste and smell the surroundings. We laugh and cry, mourn and rejoice with the characters as we are drawn into their lives, so seemingly simple on the surface, yet, in reality, so complex. A truly beautifully written book.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An eloquently simlpe glimpse of African life, February 22, 2004

By	matteo g ballatore (bonita, ca United States) - See all my reviews

Black Papyrus is an eloquently simple look into the life of a remote African village. The author gives us a glimpse into village life through the eyes of the inhabitants of Shakawe. The villagers come to life as they go about their traditional ways, struggling with the encroaching modern world. Their situations are at times exotic and foreign, and yet familiar and poignant. The African landscapes are beautifully painted. The characters are surprisingly lifelike as they deal with situations and dilemnas which are common to all humanity in a uniquely African way. I highly reccommend this book for it's readability, insight, and beauty.