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juliwi's review against another edition
4.0
With the aim of broadening my literary horizons, I frequently request and read books, short stories, and poems by non-Western authors. It is a way for me to diversify my reading, yes, but it also gives me a taste of other places, other cultures, other ways of viewing life. This has not just enriched my bookshelves, but also my own way of living, my own understanding of myself. The stories in Minutes of Glory most definitely contributed to this growth. Thanks to The New Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My sincere apologies for the delay.
Short stories are, for me, one of the best ways to get a taste for a culture, for a history, for a people. Because we all tell stories into which we pour our history, our loves, our fears, our beliefs, and our anger. While stories are a good introduction, it is nonetheless worthwhile to know some of the history of their country of origin. The Republic of Kenya has a history full of conflict, largely brought in from the outside. By the 15th century, Mombasa was a great trading city and became known to the Portuguese Empire. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Masai people settled in Kenya, taking over the Bantu people. Colonisation found them towards the end of the 18th century, first through a German protectorate, then via the Imperial British East Africa Company. The breakout of WWI also affected African colonies through proxy wars, as Western powers tried to keep each other busy there to prevent further fighting within Europe itself. As settlers established themselves, they began to occupy more and more land through land titles, which local farmers did not have, and so edged out the local population. This led to the Mau Mau Uprising from 1952 to 1959. During this uprising up to 80,000 Kikuyu were detained in detention camps and subjected to horrible treatment. The uprising was eventually defeated and saw many Kikuyu farmers stripped of their lands. British Imperial control came to an end on 12 December 1963 and Jomo Kenyatta became the Republic's first president. While independence is always the goal, it is not a happy ending in and of itself, as many previously colonised countries struggle to establish for themselves and identity and systems away from their colonised past. This history, especially the Mau Mau Uprising and the loss of land by local farmers play a major role in many of the stories in Minutes of Glory. While the stories themselves give enough background to understand, I nonetheless felt it was important to give this background here as well.
Minutes of Glory is split into four parts, each containing a number of stories. The first part is 'Of Mothers and Children' and features the story 'Mugumo', about a young woman, marriage, and the mugumo tree; 'The Rain Came Down', a story of motherhood, loss, and letting go; and 'Gone with the Drought', a really tragic story of family, famine, and madness. 'Fighters and Martyrs' is the second part. 'The Village Priest' tells the tale of a man struggling between the Christian faith and the faith of his people, while 'The Black Bird' describes the impact of strongly-held beliefs. 'The Martyr' is written from the perspective of white settlers and one of their servants and masterfully describes the different tensions of humanity, loyalty, and domination at play in this relationship. It is a brilliant story. 'The Return' shows a man coming home after having been imprisoned in a detention camp during the Mau Mau Uprising. Is his village waiting for him, or has time left its imprint here as well? 'A Meeting in the Dark' describes the pressures of living in two worlds, the village and the expectations of the new, white world. (This story does feature discussion of female circumcision, i.e. Female Genital Mutilation. The last story of this part if 'Goodbye Africa', another story told from the perspective of white settlers as they look back on their role in the "shaping" of Kenya.
Part three, 'Secret Lives' concerns itself with exactly what the title suggests. 'Minutes of Glory', the title story, tells of a young woman who simply, for a few minutes, wants to be everything she dreamed of, even if life has been a series of disappointments. 'Wedding at the Cross' shows a man losing himself in his desire to seem worthy, while his wife always knew him as good. 'A Mercedes Funeral' is perhaps one of the most tragic stories in Minutes of Glory as it describes the way the life and death of a man became a way for those around them to consider themselves better. 'The Mubenzi Tribesman' combines elements of 'The Return' and 'The Village Priest', showing a young man torn between a White life and the hopes of his tribe. Part four, 'Shadows and Priests' was perhaps my favourite part, featuring Thiong'o's most recent stories. 'Without a Shadow of a Doubt' is almost biographical, telling of Thiong'o' and his brother's experiments concerning shadows and how it led them to great truths. 'The Ghost of Michael Jackson' plays with supernatural elements while critiquing the blind adoration towards priests. This is a playful story, and perhaps also my favourite of the collection.
These stories were my first introduction to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and I am once again immensely pleased at discovering a new author. In the Preface Thiong'o states that: 'My writing is really an attempt to understand myself and my situation in society and in history'. Seeing someone so succinctly describe not just his own writing but his own relationship to his writing was intriguing. Reading the stories in Minutes of Glory it becomes clear to what extent his short stories indeed function as a king of soul-searching for Thiong'o. These stories deal extensively with Kenyan history, but also with the different expectations of his society. We see men and women struggling with their role, with the expectations on them, with their interactions with their elders. Much of this is very recognisable, even to a Western reader, while some offer insight to readers like myself. Others, however, are new and confronting. The way he evokes the internal battle of having been colonised and having that forever change and shape your culture honestly impressed the weight of colonial history upon my mind once again. When reading Japanese fiction I came to appreciate the different tone and style of Japanese writing, and similarly I have found something different to appreciate in Thiong'o's writing. There is a matter-of-factness, mixed with real insight, in Minutes of Glory which meant that each story had me gripped. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Thiong'o.
Minutes of Glory is a great collection of stories which have not just introduced me to Thiong'o but also made me appreciate the role literature has in understanding history, society, and culture. It also made me re-assess some of what I knew about Kenya's history, which I found very valuable.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2022/10/review-minutes-of-glory-and-other.html
Short stories are, for me, one of the best ways to get a taste for a culture, for a history, for a people. Because we all tell stories into which we pour our history, our loves, our fears, our beliefs, and our anger. While stories are a good introduction, it is nonetheless worthwhile to know some of the history of their country of origin. The Republic of Kenya has a history full of conflict, largely brought in from the outside. By the 15th century, Mombasa was a great trading city and became known to the Portuguese Empire. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Masai people settled in Kenya, taking over the Bantu people. Colonisation found them towards the end of the 18th century, first through a German protectorate, then via the Imperial British East Africa Company. The breakout of WWI also affected African colonies through proxy wars, as Western powers tried to keep each other busy there to prevent further fighting within Europe itself. As settlers established themselves, they began to occupy more and more land through land titles, which local farmers did not have, and so edged out the local population. This led to the Mau Mau Uprising from 1952 to 1959. During this uprising up to 80,000 Kikuyu were detained in detention camps and subjected to horrible treatment. The uprising was eventually defeated and saw many Kikuyu farmers stripped of their lands. British Imperial control came to an end on 12 December 1963 and Jomo Kenyatta became the Republic's first president. While independence is always the goal, it is not a happy ending in and of itself, as many previously colonised countries struggle to establish for themselves and identity and systems away from their colonised past. This history, especially the Mau Mau Uprising and the loss of land by local farmers play a major role in many of the stories in Minutes of Glory. While the stories themselves give enough background to understand, I nonetheless felt it was important to give this background here as well.
Minutes of Glory is split into four parts, each containing a number of stories. The first part is 'Of Mothers and Children' and features the story 'Mugumo', about a young woman, marriage, and the mugumo tree; 'The Rain Came Down', a story of motherhood, loss, and letting go; and 'Gone with the Drought', a really tragic story of family, famine, and madness. 'Fighters and Martyrs' is the second part. 'The Village Priest' tells the tale of a man struggling between the Christian faith and the faith of his people, while 'The Black Bird' describes the impact of strongly-held beliefs. 'The Martyr' is written from the perspective of white settlers and one of their servants and masterfully describes the different tensions of humanity, loyalty, and domination at play in this relationship. It is a brilliant story. 'The Return' shows a man coming home after having been imprisoned in a detention camp during the Mau Mau Uprising. Is his village waiting for him, or has time left its imprint here as well? 'A Meeting in the Dark' describes the pressures of living in two worlds, the village and the expectations of the new, white world. (This story does feature discussion of female circumcision, i.e. Female Genital Mutilation. The last story of this part if 'Goodbye Africa', another story told from the perspective of white settlers as they look back on their role in the "shaping" of Kenya.
Part three, 'Secret Lives' concerns itself with exactly what the title suggests. 'Minutes of Glory', the title story, tells of a young woman who simply, for a few minutes, wants to be everything she dreamed of, even if life has been a series of disappointments. 'Wedding at the Cross' shows a man losing himself in his desire to seem worthy, while his wife always knew him as good. 'A Mercedes Funeral' is perhaps one of the most tragic stories in Minutes of Glory as it describes the way the life and death of a man became a way for those around them to consider themselves better. 'The Mubenzi Tribesman' combines elements of 'The Return' and 'The Village Priest', showing a young man torn between a White life and the hopes of his tribe. Part four, 'Shadows and Priests' was perhaps my favourite part, featuring Thiong'o's most recent stories. 'Without a Shadow of a Doubt' is almost biographical, telling of Thiong'o' and his brother's experiments concerning shadows and how it led them to great truths. 'The Ghost of Michael Jackson' plays with supernatural elements while critiquing the blind adoration towards priests. This is a playful story, and perhaps also my favourite of the collection.
These stories were my first introduction to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and I am once again immensely pleased at discovering a new author. In the Preface Thiong'o states that: 'My writing is really an attempt to understand myself and my situation in society and in history'. Seeing someone so succinctly describe not just his own writing but his own relationship to his writing was intriguing. Reading the stories in Minutes of Glory it becomes clear to what extent his short stories indeed function as a king of soul-searching for Thiong'o. These stories deal extensively with Kenyan history, but also with the different expectations of his society. We see men and women struggling with their role, with the expectations on them, with their interactions with their elders. Much of this is very recognisable, even to a Western reader, while some offer insight to readers like myself. Others, however, are new and confronting. The way he evokes the internal battle of having been colonised and having that forever change and shape your culture honestly impressed the weight of colonial history upon my mind once again. When reading Japanese fiction I came to appreciate the different tone and style of Japanese writing, and similarly I have found something different to appreciate in Thiong'o's writing. There is a matter-of-factness, mixed with real insight, in Minutes of Glory which meant that each story had me gripped. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Thiong'o.
Minutes of Glory is a great collection of stories which have not just introduced me to Thiong'o but also made me appreciate the role literature has in understanding history, society, and culture. It also made me re-assess some of what I knew about Kenya's history, which I found very valuable.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2022/10/review-minutes-of-glory-and-other.html
jnikolova's review against another edition
4.0
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
This is one of those books that make me happy I decided to embark on my literary world trip. Minutes of Glory might not be a happy book, but it's one that speaks volumes for the country it tells the reader about, Kenya.
Since I was a child, Kenya has been one of the countries that I've most often heard about when it comes to Africa. But aside from some pictures from safaris and a faraway view of the Kilimanjaro, as well as the general knowledge that I possessed about the sub-Saharan countries, what did actually know about the Kenyan people and their struggles? Or their history? Their cities, aside from Nairobi? Not that much.
Minutes of Glory is a great collection of short stories, where I'm not even a big fan of short stories, which gives us the tales of the modern Kenyan people. The book covers many topics, among which traditional beliefs vs the new, modern world; poverty and lack of education; the struggles of women; religion, etc.
The author's writing style is simple, yet captivating. He manages to describe the hardships, as well as the joys of people, in vivid detail in the matter of a few pages, and manages to draw the reader in and make them feel engaged with the characters' journeys. While, for example, I've never been a part of a society torn between staying with its old traditions and moving forward with the developing world, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o made me sit down and think about how hard and confusing that might be. While I've always had the possibility to get a good education, to learn, to read, to travel, this book showed me how devastating the lack of those possibilities is to a man's soul.
I found this book by pure chance, on NetGalley, close to its publishing date. I can only be grateful for that.
This is one of those books that make me happy I decided to embark on my literary world trip. Minutes of Glory might not be a happy book, but it's one that speaks volumes for the country it tells the reader about, Kenya.
Since I was a child, Kenya has been one of the countries that I've most often heard about when it comes to Africa. But aside from some pictures from safaris and a faraway view of the Kilimanjaro, as well as the general knowledge that I possessed about the sub-Saharan countries, what did actually know about the Kenyan people and their struggles? Or their history? Their cities, aside from Nairobi? Not that much.
Minutes of Glory is a great collection of short stories, where I'm not even a big fan of short stories, which gives us the tales of the modern Kenyan people. The book covers many topics, among which traditional beliefs vs the new, modern world; poverty and lack of education; the struggles of women; religion, etc.
The author's writing style is simple, yet captivating. He manages to describe the hardships, as well as the joys of people, in vivid detail in the matter of a few pages, and manages to draw the reader in and make them feel engaged with the characters' journeys. While, for example, I've never been a part of a society torn between staying with its old traditions and moving forward with the developing world, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o made me sit down and think about how hard and confusing that might be. While I've always had the possibility to get a good education, to learn, to read, to travel, this book showed me how devastating the lack of those possibilities is to a man's soul.
I found this book by pure chance, on NetGalley, close to its publishing date. I can only be grateful for that.
black_girl_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Minutes of Glory by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o was a collection short stories, spanning many decades until today. While the writing style and storylines varied wildly over time, there were a few things that stayed the same. I loved that he so consistently called out colonialism, and uncritical religious dogma and morality, and capitalism - that all worked for me. I was however, less enamoured of how abruptly every story ended, you’d just be going along with the build up, and bam! end of story. Overall I enjoyed the collection though, and I loved that it was a retrospective of a lifetime of writing. I’m for sure going to pick up one of his novels. Who’s read him? That’s @netgalley for the ARC -!opinions are my own.
kristelwyman's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the writing by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, though I found some of them more enjoyable than others. I think that overall, short stories just aren't for me, because by the time I get into them, they're over. I enjoy international reads, and particularly stories from beautiful Kenya. It's so interesting to hear about other types of experiences around the world and I suppose that's the nice thing about these short stories -- so many different experiences communicated. I just found some of the stories a bit slow, and I'm sure that part of that is just a different literary style than I'm used to, along with cultural differences in general. I really enjoyed the title story especially, and wished it was longer. I will certainly check out one of the novels by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o'.
I received an advanced release copy of this book from Netgalley -- thank you Netgalley!
I received an advanced release copy of this book from Netgalley -- thank you Netgalley!
adam_nie's review
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
4.0
Stick with this book. Thiong'o wrote the first couple of stories in undergrad, so you get to watch his voice and characters get sharper as the book goes on.
raoionna's review against another edition
5.0
Eloquent ~ WItting ~ Crisp
tl;dr: Short stories worth reading
Thiong'o was a new author for me, and I am very glad that I found this collection. The stories share snippets of life in Kenya during the mid-20th century. While some of the locations might be unfamiliar to me, the struggles, like women struggling against misogyny and patriarchy, resonate today. I am now stunned that this was a new to me author. The quality of the prose, and the ways that the mundane is elevated through his storytelling, is exceptional. This is a wonderful short story collection.
tl;dr: Short stories worth reading
Thiong'o was a new author for me, and I am very glad that I found this collection. The stories share snippets of life in Kenya during the mid-20th century. While some of the locations might be unfamiliar to me, the struggles, like women struggling against misogyny and patriarchy, resonate today. I am now stunned that this was a new to me author. The quality of the prose, and the ways that the mundane is elevated through his storytelling, is exceptional. This is a wonderful short story collection.
leanettascott82's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. All the mini stories added up to one very good book. I also love that you can skip around and read many of the stories but not in any particular order. I highly recommend this book.
mmcblain's review against another edition
5.0
These stories were brilliant and the last one was... perfect?
aimeedarsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Minutes of Glory and Other Stories represents a superlative collection of work by noted Kenyan author by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. The stories here represents divisions among communities that infect individuals and reduce them to their best--or worst--selves.
Some of these divisions affecting identity might occur in any group: power (vs. no power), infertility (vs. parenthood), wealth (vs. poverty). However, colonization introduced new fractures into society: educated (vs. uneducated), Christian (vs. “pagan”), cities (vs. villages), collaborators (vs. freedom fighters)--and seemed to heighten the existing dichotomies. Also running through the stories is the impact of the Mau Mau Emergency, a nationalist movement that advocated violent resistance to British rule.
Unlike many short story collections which can be uneven in quality, the stories in Minutes of Glory are equally powerful and unforgettable. The collection includes stories that have been published previously plus two that have never been published before in English. The stories are varied, some told in first person, most in third. Some are told from the perspective of women, and others from male narrators. Two even take British colonists’ points of view.
While plenty, even most of the stories, chart a route for acceptance and peace for the characters, I have to say my favorite are those where the external divisions create so much internal pressure that the characters succumb to their most monstrous impulses.
At times, particularly in the first two stories, I wasn’t sure that Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, writing from the perspective of women, had fully captured a female voice, but it’s also possible that as a Westerner, I am not fully privy to the voice of a Kenyan woman.
Perhaps my biggest quibble--and it’s not that big really--is that several times the author repeats the same word in a single sentence or series of sentences in proximity. For example, one sentence used “sacred” three times. That could be an artifact of translation. Also, because I read an early copy, it’s possible that will corrected in the final version.
I had not known who Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was, and the book caught my eye because of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s praise. I’m so glad that I read it. Minutes of Glory richly depicts a range of Kenyan society showing the impact of colonialism on the country. Arresting and thought-provoking, anyone who appreciates African literature should read this collection.
Thanks to NetGalley and The New Press for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Some of these divisions affecting identity might occur in any group: power (vs. no power), infertility (vs. parenthood), wealth (vs. poverty). However, colonization introduced new fractures into society: educated (vs. uneducated), Christian (vs. “pagan”), cities (vs. villages), collaborators (vs. freedom fighters)--and seemed to heighten the existing dichotomies. Also running through the stories is the impact of the Mau Mau Emergency, a nationalist movement that advocated violent resistance to British rule.
Unlike many short story collections which can be uneven in quality, the stories in Minutes of Glory are equally powerful and unforgettable. The collection includes stories that have been published previously plus two that have never been published before in English. The stories are varied, some told in first person, most in third. Some are told from the perspective of women, and others from male narrators. Two even take British colonists’ points of view.
While plenty, even most of the stories, chart a route for acceptance and peace for the characters, I have to say my favorite are those where the external divisions create so much internal pressure that the characters succumb to their most monstrous impulses.
At times, particularly in the first two stories, I wasn’t sure that Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, writing from the perspective of women, had fully captured a female voice, but it’s also possible that as a Westerner, I am not fully privy to the voice of a Kenyan woman.
Perhaps my biggest quibble--and it’s not that big really--is that several times the author repeats the same word in a single sentence or series of sentences in proximity. For example, one sentence used “sacred” three times. That could be an artifact of translation. Also, because I read an early copy, it’s possible that will corrected in the final version.
I had not known who Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was, and the book caught my eye because of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s praise. I’m so glad that I read it. Minutes of Glory richly depicts a range of Kenyan society showing the impact of colonialism on the country. Arresting and thought-provoking, anyone who appreciates African literature should read this collection.
Thanks to NetGalley and The New Press for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
...aka darzy... | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram