Written by Kim Tyo-Dickerson In a world where East African vampires are bound by human bloodlines and ancient legacies, one Ethiopian young woman dares to challenge the deepening darkness surrounding her to find her missing sister. Nineteen-year-old Kidan Adane and her twin sister June were never supposed to return to the arcane world of their … Continue reading #INTYALITMONTH: Black Vampires Meet Dark Academia in Tigest Girma’s “Immortal Dark”
#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mayowa and the Masquerades
Mayowa wants to stay in the city and play computer games rather than visit his grandmother in another town. But he doesn’t stay in a bad mood for long! Especially when his new friend Denuyi takes him on a tour of the neighborhood. In Mayowa and the Masquerades, the two boys share in simple wonders: … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mayowa and the Masquerades
#EndangeredAlphabets: Succeed at Your Peril
Topographic map in the Bamum script from early 20th-century Cameroon. Image courtesy of the Incunabula Library. Creating a new script for an indigenous people during a colonial era is a two-edged sword. The desire to claim and assert one’s cultural identity may provide the driving force that sustains an author through the long, hard work … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Succeed at Your Peril
#EndangeredAlphabets: Trotting Out Camels
“Save our language” in the Zaghawa language and the Beria script, in which each letter resembles a camel branding symbol. Carved by the author. Right, let’s get this month going. Let’s head out into the fascinating world of Indigenous and minority scripts. And let’s start by talking about camels. I’m trotting out camels, so to … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Trotting Out Camels
A Summary of Titles to Inspire Your #Veganuary
It may be the end of Veganuary but that doesn't mean your vegan journey needs to end here! I hope everyone that has followed along has enjoyed the posts and perhaps found some time to start reading some of these recommendations. Veganism is a social justice movement focused on achieving total liberation for non-human animals … Continue reading A Summary of Titles to Inspire Your #Veganuary
#Veganuary: Fevered Planet
How Diseases Emerge When We Harm Nature by John Vidal Once you have read In The Company of Men by Véronique Tadjo, a great way to continue is by reading Fevered Planet, an in-depth look at what happens to human health when we destroy nature. Long considered separate issues, human health, wildlife health and the … Continue reading #Veganuary: Fevered Planet
#Veganuary: In the Company of Men
by Veronique Tadjo Two boys go into the forest and kill bats to cook and eat, within a month they are dead and Ebola is moving quickly through the village. The story of Ebola is told through different voices experiencing the outbreak. Medical staff fight to stop the spread, but in order to save people, … Continue reading #Veganuary: In the Company of Men
#Veganuary: The Postcolonial Animal: African Literature and Posthuman Ethics
The Postcolonial Animal: African Literature and Posthuman Ethics by Evan Maina Mwanga African culture is intimately connected with animals, from literature to spirituality; non-human animals are central to African beliefs and practices. Animals are featured extensively in African literature and are prominent in philosophy and political movements. But despite this, Africans are rarely featured in … Continue reading #Veganuary: The Postcolonial Animal: African Literature and Posthuman Ethics
#DegrowthLitMonth: The Divide
The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions, by Jason Hickel. Possibly the most important book I have ever read, The Divide opened my eyes up to so much history that I wasn't aware of. It's a very well written and accessible look at the history of colonization, imperialism and neo-liberalism and … Continue reading #DegrowthLitMonth: The Divide
#DegrowthLitMonth: Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
Cobalt Red: How the blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives, by Siddharth Kara. Macmillan publishers 288 pages published 31/01/2023 ISBN: 9781250284303 This is not a 'light-hearted' read. It's actually quite harrowing, but I think it should be essential reading for everyone. We all should understand the origins of the metals and rare-earth minerals that … Continue reading #DegrowthLitMonth: Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
