Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and give the reasons why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

Matigari ma Njiruungi by  Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Blurb from Goodreads

Who is Matigari? Is he young or old; a man or fate; dead or living…or even a resurrection of Jesus Christ? These are the questions asked by the people of this unnamed country, when a man who has survived the war for independence emerges from the mountains and starts making strange claims and demands. Matigari is in search of his family to rebuild his home and start a new and peaceful future. But his search becomes a quest for truth and justice as he finds the people still dispossessed and the land he loves ruled by corruption, fear, and misery. Rumors spring up that a man with superhuman qualities has risen to renew the freedom struggle. The novel races toward its climax as Matigari realizes that words alone cannot defeat the enemy. He vows to use the force of arms to achieve his true liberation. Lyrical and hilarious in turn, Matigari is a memorable satire on the betrayal of human ideals and on the bitter experience of post-independence African society

Why I Want To Read It

Hi again everyone! A new week has come. Happy Monday! I hope you and your family are safe and are having a great start to the week. Today marks the first day of the implementation of the strictest level of lockdown here in Manila. This is reminiscent of the first lockdown announcement and is aimed at curbing the resurgence of the virus. I am fervently praying this will end soon, too. Today is also the last Monday of March. In two more days, we are entering a new month and a new quarter. Oh my, 2021 is in a rush. I don’t mind the rush if it means that we are getting closer to a full vaccination rollout. So far, the rollout in the Philippines has been sluggish and slow at best. Nevertheless, I am thankful that my mother, a nurse, is about to get her second dose. To all frontliners, do know that we appreciate all the work you’ve been doing this past year.

Mondays also mean Goodreads Monday updates. In March, I have been reveling in the works of African writers. I gained a lot of momentum in 2020 and I am carrying it over in 2021. For my last Goodreads Monday update this month, I am featuring yet another work written by an African writer. I can’t recall when or where I first encountered Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. It was either through an online seller, or he was one of the forecasted winner of the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature. He was also commended by fellow book readers, hence, my piqued interest. Of his works, Matigari made the most impression; it is my intention to read all his works.

I think I have never read the works of any Kenyan writers before. In reading a work by Thiong’o, I am hoping to open a new avenue that will further expand my understanding of the various cultures and various citizens of the world. From the blurb, I understand that Matigari is a mix of satire and historical fiction. I am always in favor of historical fiction. I just hope I get to purchase a copy of the book, not really immediately but I am hoping soon. How about you fellow reader, what book do you want to read? I hope you can share it in the comment box. For now, happy reading! Have a great week ahead!

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