Archive for category Nonfiction
Binyavanga Wainaina/District 9
Posted by Michael Opperman in Ethics, Kenya, Nigeria, Nonfiction, Politics on August 31, 2009
Rebroadcast of 2008 interview. Wainaina is, as usual, provocative and candid.
From his Granta article: How to Write About Africa:
“Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’, ‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’, ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also useful are words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People’ means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans.”
I listened to the interview after watching the troubling movie District 9, set in JHB, South Africa – an unrelenting study of colonialism, refugee-status, and class via genre film. I doubt the Nigerian tourism bureau is satisfied with the depiction of their nationals in the movie.
The Devil is a Gentleman
Posted by Michael Opperman in Nonfiction, Parenting, Religion on August 28, 2009
Quite engaged with J.C. Hallman’s response to William James’ Varieties of Religious Experience. By turns history, religious fringe examination, theoretical romp, The Devil is a Gentleman is provocative and exceptionally well researched.
Lucie loves the parts I read to her as she nods off to sleep after a full bottle. At least I think she does. Hard to tell with a pre-language child.