“Conte, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, collects 15 autobiographical essays by Ugandan women that question stereotypes of African femininity. This anthology will introduce myriad new voices . . . to Western readers. All share an interest in reconciling traditional and Western practices. The opener, 'My Name' by Nakisanze Segawa, uses names as cogent symbols of Christian and African values; she tells of how a hospital cashier refused to register her because she abandoned her 'Christian' name in homage to Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. In another essay, Lydia Namubiru, who was raised Catholic, tells of how she feared demons ever since she witnessed an exorcism as a child: 'There are no standards for balancing our imported faiths with our ancestral ones,' she notes. 'Most people…straddle the fence.' The title piece by Caroline Ariba beautifully explores the gulf between educated, working women like herself and village women who bear many children, desperate for a son and heir. One of the responsibilities of ssengas, or paternal aunts, is to initiate girls into marriage and motherhood rites, and in Shifa Mwesigye’s 'Ssengas and the Single Woman,' the collection’s standout, a bridal shower provides the occasion for a witty yet incisive dissection of gender roles . . . (M)ost of the essays reveal fresh facets of African experience. For example, Peace Twine, in 'Wife of the Enemy,' tells of enduring false arrest and months in a maximum security prison. In 'No Time for Pain,' Harriet Anena artfully displaces the trauma of years in refugee camps using second-person narration, while haunting anonymous essays disclose sexual abuse and lesbian identity. 'Change comes slowly,' Laura Walusimbi laments in her concluding piece on corporal punishment, later adding, 'There are so many new challenges and no easy answers.' A strong collection of memoiristic writing that illuminates African womanhood while blending diverse styles and experiences.”
Clarion Foreward Review
“Editor Christopher Conte brings together a beautiful and thoughtful series of essays from women navigating life in contemporary Uganda. With perspectives as diverse as their backgrounds, these dynamic women bring the Ugandan experience into stunning relief. Topically, the collection is no-holds-barred: these women critique traditional culture, Western influence, the bureaucratic bloatedness of NGOs, religion, and gender roles, all with clarity and nuance. They are as likely to draw influence from the West as they are to be suspicious of it, or to seek the good aspects of traditional marriage as they are to name its shortcomings. They even establish themselves as beneficiaries of sexual revolutions. The result is a well-rounded, compelling, and edifying picture of the challenges that women face in modern Africa. . . Each essay is gorgeously constructed, affording the authors a space to discuss postcolonial Uganda’s growing pains as they affect individual women in the nation. Subjects held in some distrust by the West, particularly surrounding marriage and sexuality, are explored with greater depth than is usual; an essay on ‘pulling’ should be a point of particular discussion. These are women keenly aware of what is native to Uganda and of what is imposed, and the resultant richness of their conversations is well worth appreciation. These talented authors present a thorough, engaging picture of Uganda as it exists, but also as it may exist in the future. Crossroads is an elegant collection that stands to be embraced by all who have an interest in modern Africa, particularly in the unfiltered stories of its women, and is bound to contribute ably to ongoing discussions in global feminism.”
Review
From Alia's A-List
I don’t usually read books like this, and when it was sent to me, I was wary about what it would be like. However, despite my reservations, I decided to read it, and I’m glad I did.
*Crossroads* is a collection of autobiographical essays written by Ugandan women, describing their lives and the difficulties they have encountered. The selection of topics discussed is broad, relating to both ‘Ugandan’ issues and universal ones – from sex, sexuality and gender roles to NGOs, torture and corporal punishment. The women, living in modern Uganda, insightfully describe Western influences versus traditional customs, exploring their benefits and drawbacks.
The authors of *Crossroads,* writing passionately yet with measure and control, explore the nuanced reality of living as modern, Ugandan women. The book’s brevity is powerful, because none of the stories are boring or drawn-out; the purpose of the collection is to highlight impactful parts of the women’s lives, relating to a theme. This focus ensures that the reader is not overwhelmed by an excess of information, and can freely come to their own conclusion about the importance of western values in traditional societies like Uganda.
My favourite of the stories is ‘No time for pain’, which is written in the second person; it describes a woman’s isolation as she struggles to live a normal life with the memory of her war-torn childhood. Her account of grief and detachment is well-written and easy to relate to, and is complimented by her well-considered commentary on the long-term effects of war and refugee camps on the society she lives in.
I urge you to read *Crossroads* if you are interested in Ugandan life and stories about women’s coming-of-age. This collection of essays is readable and fairly short; it is appropriate for mid-teenagers and older.
About the Author
Christopher Conte is an American journalist who spent fifteen years as a reporter and editor for the Wall Street Journal before beginning a freelance career. He has traveled extensively throughout Africa, eastern Europe, and Asia, as a consultant for the World Bank’s International Finance Group. Conte has also worked as a trainer and mentor to journalists in Uganda, and other locations throughout Africa and Asia.
