Afterlives

 

Author: Abdulrazak Gurnah

Genre: historical fiction

Number of pages: 275

First published: 2020

Setting: colonial Tanzania in the early 20^th century

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: Khalifa was twenty-six years old when he met the merchant Amur Biashara.

One sentence comment: The book offers a rarely explored history of the relationship between Germany and its colony, Tanzania (German East Africa).

 

Afterlives, winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, is, in my opinion, significant more for its historical value than its literary merit. While the prose is concise and often subdued, and the plot is neither overtly dramatic nor broadly appealing, the book is a vital addition to African literature following foundational works like Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.

 

The narrative highlights the critical role of German literacy for its African protagonists. Both Ilyas and Hamza are German speakers, a skill they acquire through favorable, if complicated, connections with German officers who showed them compassion. Similarly, the female protagonist, Afiya, benefits from her brother Ilyas's education, allowing her to read and write. This pattern continues with her son, also named Ilyas, whose German literacy enables him to travel to Germany to investigate his uncle's fate. These specific arrangements in the novel strongly suggest that, within the colonial context, only those who master the colonizer's language and literacy are ultimately positioned to narrate and preserve their own stories, ensuring their history is passed on. This appears to be a deliberate and accurate portrayal of the historical power dynamic.

 

I have wondered about the title: Why Afterlives? Perhaps it suggests that the survival skills acquired from the colonizer—such as speaking German and accessing elements of Western civilization like medical care—represent a kind of new, separate life. However, even with these adaptations, the characters remain profoundly restricted by their identity, haunted by the enduring ghosts of the colonial past.

 

This idea resonates deeply with Taiwan’s own post-colonial history. Following periods of European and Japanese rule, the island benefited from exposure to Western influences like modern construction and religious belief, which helped transform the tropical environment into a safer place (early Japanese colonizers, for instance, suffered more from disease than from indigenous resistance). After Japan’s surrender in World War II, Taiwan found itself protected by the United States. Crucially, this relationship led to many Taiwanese elites receiving US-based education. This educational exchange directly fueled the growth of the local chip industry, which has since become Taiwan's greatest asset for asserting its international identity and democratic strength among Chinese speakers. This history shows that Taiwan, while independent, remains deeply shaped by a specific kind of external, or "post-colonial," American influence—an arrangement made even more visible by its ongoing reliance on US protection against China's territorial claims.

Doctor Sleep

 

Author: Stephen King

Genre: Horror

Number of pages: 640

First published: 2013

Setting: New Hampshire

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: On the second day of December in a year when a Georgia peanut farmer was doing business in the White House, one of Colorado’s great resort hotels burned to the ground.

One sentence comment: It’s a follow-up work that showcases the author's artistic growth.

 

Last year, after being so moved by the plight of the family in The Shining, I wanted to read the sequel, Doctor Sleep. At first, it was strange to me that the book was published 36 years later, but as I read, I realized I was encountering a different kind of King—one who remained just as compassionate toward troubled characters. He still writes about the lonely, the addicted, and those grappling with their conscience. It became clear that his decision to use an adult Danny as the protagonist wasn't strange at all; he wasn't interested in writing about a jobless father from the 70s, but rather a rootless loner in modern society. The book felt like a true King novel from the 2010s, reminiscent of Revival, published one year before this novel, in its focus on the constant battle between good and evil, a conflict where evil holds an effortless advantage.

The main character of Doctor Sleep is Danny, the son of Jack Torrance from The Shining. As a child, Danny was deeply traumatized, and as an adult, he is still haunted by the past. He tries to numb himself with alcohol and a life of wandering. However, when a young girl with the same "shining" ability, Abra, asks for his help, Danny must finally confront his greatest childhood fear.

In Doctor Sleep, the evil force is a constant, corporeal group, a stark contrast to the individual, occasional phantoms of The Shining. This shift suggests that the destructive forces we face today—such as addiction, depression, and obsession—are not isolated incidents but ever-present dangers that require sustained effort and collective support to overcome. The novel reflects this modern struggle by introducing Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), emphasizing the crucial role of community and the concept of a "found family" in recovery. Haunted by the memory of his petty theft from a mother named Deenie and his failure to help a young boy named Tommy, Dan flees North Carolina for New Hampshire. The memory is a constant reminder of his past selfishness, doing nothing to aid Tommy. In contrast, he had been rescued by an adult friend who heard his call for help. He is deeply in shame. Only by rescuing Abra can he finally atone for this past guilt. This theme highlights the idea that those who have been helped should, in turn, help others in need. Ultimately, the spirit of Doctor Sleep is more socially conscious, shifting from a personal battle with a haunting presence to a broader commentary on mutual aid and resilience in the face of widespread societal challenges.

 

Why Kings Confess

 

Why Kings Confess (#9 of Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery)

Author: C S Harris

Genre: historical mystery

Number of pages: 349

First published: 2014

Setting: London

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: Paul Gibson lurched down the dak, narrow lane, his face raw from the cold, his fingers numb.

One sentence comment: It told a fascinating story about the outcast French royalty whose absurdity is unfathomable.

 

The book's focus on the Bourbon family in exile is an unusual topic. It paints a desperate picture of their lives, particularly the obese, wheelchair-bound uncrowned king and other stubborn royals, who were forced to endure their plight in a run-down corner of Britain. I quite like the author's attempt to present the unorthodox resistance to a modern audience, especially since the French royalty normally receives little sympathy from people due to their ruthless attitude toward widespread poverty.

 

I ‘m also taken by Gibson’s love story in this installment. The one-legged surgeon was so completely overwhelmed by the tough Frenchwoman he had rescued. I expect to read more about them.

 

 

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Genre: mystery

Number of pages: 235

First published: 1998

Setting: Botswana

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of Kgale Hill.

One sentence comment: It’s a heart-warming and intriguing series.

 

This delightful book offers a glimpse into the simple, peaceful lives of the people of Botswana. While the author uses a detective story as a clever framework, the true purpose is to show us how these people live and what their daily worries are. Through the book, we get a taste of the difference between their aboriginal life and our complicated urban environment. It sometimes made me laugh and sometimes made me envious, because their lives and task are simple.

 

My rearched found that the author had worked at the University of Botswana in the 1980s, and he got the inspiration from a woman in a red dress chasing a chicken in her yard, preparing it for a meal. She became the genesis for the character of Mma Precious Ramotswe. Mma Ramotswe's cases were often more about helping people with the "problems in their lives"—such as a missing husband, a cheating partner, or a fraudulent business—than about catching murderers. The series seemed to explore themes of kindness, compassion, and common sense.

 

The protagonist, having been abused in her first marriage, was initially adamant about never marrying again. Her past with her first love was a painful reminder of her ordeal. However, a series of events eventually changed her perspective, allowing her to move past the bitterness and find a new outlook on life.

 

Evening Class

 

Evening Class

Author: Maeve Binchy

Genre: fiction

Number of pages: 537

First published: 1996

Setting: Ireland, Italy

Rating: 5 stars

First sentence: There was a time back in 1970 when they would love filling in a questionnaire.

One sentence comment: The novel effectively conveys the theme of individuals' inability to keep up with societal changes.

 

The author's portrayal of characters is remarkably effective, often compelling me to pause and contemplate while reading.

 

The first protagonist, Aidan, found such vivid difficulty adapting to contemporary family interactions that his workplace became his sanctuary—a place where his self-worth was still affirmed. This made me reflect on my own life: Am I, too, treating school as an all-consuming passion, even as the teacher-student dynamic has drastically changed, often leaving educators aghast at unthinkable situations? This led me to ponder whether feeling out of sync is a sign that it's time to retire. But how do we then fill the void that a career once occupied? It truly challenges the wisdom of older individuals to discover new purpose in their later years, to acquire new skills, and to find ways to stay fulfilled.

 

The second protagonist, Nora, though perhaps unrealistically romantic, commanded my admiration for her fiercely independent approach to love and life. She seemed unconcerned about her future, which might strike some as naive. However, having matured in a religious environment where everyone had a predefined place, she found herself completely out of sync upon encountering 1990s Dublin. Fortunately, her past experiences of following her heart ultimately rewarded her with skills she could apply to a newly emerging trend: evening classes.

 

While Maeve Binchy's books often explore themes like reconciling with the past and second chances, this one places a special emphasis on aging. Getting old is a central theme in the book, exploring the gains and losses that come with aging. We may be surprised to find ourselves with nothing to show for our efforts, compared to what we started with and what we originally wanted. Despite this, the characters find comfort in an evening class, which symbolizes lifelong learning and is a common practice in many developed countries. This pursuit of continuous learning, the book suggests, may be the true meaning of life.

 

My Mortal Enemy

 

My Mortal Enemy

Author: Willa Cather

Genre: novella

Number of pages: 50

First published: 1926

Setting: Illinois, New York, West coast

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: I first met Myra Henshawe when I was fifteen, but I had known about her ever since I could remember anything at all.

One sentence comment: In the early 20th century, the protagonist might seem stubborn, but now it isn’t uncommon to encounter women who are determined to decide their own lives and feel unsatisfied with the status quo.

 

This story reveals why Cather is considered ahead of her time. A century ago, when men often determined women's destinies through inheritance or financial means, Cather presents a resolute female protagonist. While such independence is commonplace today, making that aspect of the narrative less compelling, I find Myra's decline and bitterness to be largely a result of her illness, not merely financial struggle. This suggests her "mortal enemy" was truly beyond her command, positioning the tragedy as a matter of fate rather than a flaw in Myra's character.

 

The Collapsing Empire

 

The Collapsing Empire

Author: John Scalzi

Genre: sci fi

Number of pages: 333

First published: 2017

Setting: Interdependency empire

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: The mutineers would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for the collapse of the Flow.

One sentence comment: The book's standout concept is its Flow and Interdependency System.

 

It depicts a future where humanity, after losing Earth a millennium ago, relies on a vast network of planets connected by faster-than-light pathways known as "the Flow." However, a scientist uncovers the Flow's imminent collapse, threatening to isolate star systems and trigger a civilizational collapse due to most systems' lack of self-sufficiency.

 

This narrative strongly resonates as a political allegory. It mirrors contemporary geopolitical anxieties, much like the global economic system's vulnerabilities exposed in the 2010s. For decades, the world has operated as a US-led interdependent system, with China supplying a majority of products, from household items to industrial components. However, China's economic success from global trade has fueled its transformation into a formidable military power.

 

The potential invasion of Taiwan, often seen as America's outpost against China, directly threatens the US, leading it to identify China as a primary adversary. In the event of a conflict with China, the US recognizes the critical need for self-reliance. Recent US policies, such as advocating for foreign investment within the country and implementing high tariffs to deter Chinese products, are all methods to reduce its dependence on Chinese goods. This urgency intensifies, paralleling planet End's desperate search for independent survival as its support from other planets dwindles.

 Just like the book's title, The Collapsing Empire, the US-led economic system is now striving to sever unfavorable connections. This strategic decoupling aims to prevent the "head of the empire" from being burdened and ultimately destroyed, a fate common to historical empires.