Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth: A Novel (Unabridged)
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • The first Black winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature gives us a tour de force, combining "elements of a murder mystery, a searing political satire and an Alice in Wonderland-like modern allegory of power and deceit" (Los Angeles Times).
In an imaginary Nigeria, a cunning entrepreneur is selling body parts stolen from Dr. Menka's hospital for use in ritualistic practices. Dr. Menka shares the grisly news with his oldest college friend, bon viveur, star engineer, and Yoruba royal, Duyole Pitan-Payne. The life of every party, Duyole is about to assume a prestigious post at the United Nations in New York, but it now seems that someone is determined that he not make it there. And neither Dr. Menka nor Duyole knows why, or how close the enemy is, or how powerful.
Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth is at once a literary hoot, a crafty whodunit, and a scathing indictment of political and social corruption. It is a stirring call to arms against the abuse of power from one of our fiercest political activists, who also happens to be a global literary giant.
Customer Reviews
Absolutely hated the narration
For a story so rooted in Nigeria and Nigerian culture, having a narrator whose attempts to pronounce any of the African or Nigerian names, speak Yoruba, pronounce any of the Nigerian words, or sound like any of the Nigerian characters, made Soyinka sound similar to the poor attempts by westerners to sound Nigerian/African.
The characters all have that faux African accent that is rooted more in the idea of Africa, than any real location. It made listening to this story very cringe-worthy.
I love Soyinka’s work, and as a Nigerian, the unpleasant listening experience completely overshadowed the story.