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Songs to an African Sunset: A Zimbabwean Story Paperback – January 1, 1997

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

The author recalls her journey to her childhood home, her family, and the Zimbabwean way of life

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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 details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lonely Planet; 1st Thus. edition (January 1, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0864424728
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0864424723
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2002
The complex journey back to Sekai's roots in this autobiography, begins with her taking a trip back to Zimbabwe to visit her family. The book revolves mainly around the events that happen to her and around herin Zimbabwe. I think that the theme of the book is really re-discovering your roots, and finding your true heritage. I found this book to be very easy to relate to, as i am familiar with the land of Zimbabwe and some of the phrases and words used in the book. Many of these elements are the foundation of Sekai's complex story, which captures your attention instantly.
My only critisism about the book is that sometimes the author goes so deeply into a subject, that she gets slightly off track. I personally was drawn into the book by the authors use of catchy sentences and complex ideas that made me want to keep reading.
In conclusion, I'd recomend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with a cultural and ethnic flare to it.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2002
Nzenza retuns to Zimbabwe after many years abroad in Australia. She brings with her a husband and child. As they learn the ropes of Zimbabwe and meet her extended family in the village, Nzenza id dealing with family members that are either dying or have died, most from AIDS. It is a touching book, composed of seperate tales, but connected stories.
She speaks very clearly of her appreciation of the village and her love for the people there. At the same time she speaks from the knowledge that she can not return to live there, having spent too much time in Western cities with conveniences that the village lacks. I enjoyed the portraits of the village she paints and could easily see the picture she laid out.
The stories of AIDS and it's debilitating effect on Zimbabwean life was saddening. I can only hope future portraits can touch on a Zimbabwe that has conquered this disease.
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2002
Nzenza is one of our women who went to the West, but realized she belong in soil of her people, the beautiful country of Africa. She reccounts how much misery the West has brought t Africa, but is able to rediscover true African life, family traditions, witchcraft, etc. She has come back to her truly natural life and the place where she belong to, the earth that nurtured us for all generations, our true mother. Brothers and Sisters, you can't miss reading her experience if you don't feel like this. Read and feel. And I became very emotional when reading that book. Speak to our African hart, sister Sekai.
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 1999
This book gave me a front row seat in an African village. I could smell the food and hear the sounds of her homeland.
I enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to everyone. I think that those who have visited that region will especially appreciate this book. The stories will immediately immerse you a into Zimbabwean way of life.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Ruth Mulenga
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2011
I read this before I spent 4 years as a VSO volunteer in a rural boarding school in neighbouring Zambia. Lovely book that captures the spirit of the life in a rural village told by someone who can also provide a Western perspective but also the Zimbabwean perspective.
I bought it recently for my husband, a Zambian, so that he could read a book from someone who shares similar frustrations.
One person found this helpful
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karenb
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in Japan on November 6, 2002
A story of Sekai Nzenza Shand, a woman who had left her home country to live abroad for many years, getting married and having kids in Australia before returning home to spend time connecting with her family and village life after a series of family bereavements due to AIDS. A warm book, sometimes funny and sometimes sad. Its tells the stories of the village charcters and really gives a true flavour of what its like to grow up in Zimbabwe with a village traditional culture from the perspective of someone who has also spent time in the West. A pure delight
Flower
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2018
Great
Thandy
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2015
Amazing read🙌🏾🙌🏾