Weep not child Ngugi was thiong'o

NGUGI WA THIONG'O is a pioneering writer in the African literary scene. This novel (first published in 1964), made the world realise that writers in Africa were making a fresh and original contribution to world literature. A renowned literary critic world-wide, Ngugi has raised controversy as an advocate for writing in African languages. He has taught literature for many years in universities in both East Africa and North America, and has lectured extensively on writing in Africa and the Caribbean. He is a most versatile writer best known not just for writing novels, but also plays and collections of short stories and essays. Most of his novels are published in the Peak Library.

Above all, Njoroge wanted to become educated like the son of the rich farmer, Jacobo, who had finished all the learning in Kenya and would now go to England. Ngotho, Njoroge's father, worked for Mr. Howlands, the white settler from England, and both, in their different ways, felt the same powerful love for the rich red earth they farmed. At school, Njoroge was good at reading: education was the key to the future. When Jomo was arrested and the Emergency declared, it made very little difference at first-everybody knew Jomo would win. But one day Ngotho was arrested and tortured. Njoroge's brothers left to go to the big city or to join the freedom fighters in the forest. Gradually all the family was drawn into the struggle and the war became a day-to-day tragedy.

'This delicate story... is a skilful work of art. The writing is terse and well controlled. Most of all it deserves reading for the quality of the language, and the way it is shaped; its artistic success,'