Writers in Politics: A Re-Engagement with Issues of Literature and Society (Paperback)

Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a well-known and respected Kenyan writer, among African intellectuals and thinkers on the continent of Africa. He earlier published under the name "James Ngugi" [for that is what he was then called] before he purged the European "James" from his African identity -- something a little akin to what Malcolm X did with his name branded on him by the white man. This book is a radical, unconventional book. It is a book for Africa. Ngugi is a proud, serious and no-nonsense African writer who has every reason to say what he says!

Ngugi's own personal story is that of a principled African writer on a pilgrimage of cultural metamorphosis and self-discovery. Earlier, Ngugi used to write the kind of "sweet", seriously written, best-selling African novels that wouldn't be branded "pan-African" or "Afro-centric". Books like "Weep not, Child", "The River Between" are African classics of yesteryear. These earlier books are also landmarks in Ngugi's career and, therefore, no throw-away literature. Maybe they even earned him more money.

But that was before Ngugi learnt his lesson and made his decision. In the 70's, his outlook was changing radically and he even came in confrontation with the Kenyan government and was imprisoned for his satirical play, "I Will Marry When I Want", which was an under-the-belt punch in the balls of the Kenyan government! He became a steadfast Marxist and socialist around that time and he later had to go and live in exile. I think he still lives in Sweden now.

Ngugi is a very serious African writer, whose style and choice of theme in his books changed profoundly throughout the seventies. I think "Writers in Politics" is a culmination of these pan-African ideas that convinced him through these years. In these essays, Ngugi argues for African literature to be written by Africans in their African languages. Failure to that, he opines, African literature will never be African in its entirety and that African writers will always be "neo-colonial" in their approach to -- and portrayal of -- African tradition, reality and culture they shall attempt to recount, or make account of, in their "neo-colonial" books. Ngugi says every writer is a writer "in politics". Ngugi brings forth many, many complex and interesting arguments in his book.

And there are also references to that sinful institution of American Slavery, to men like Thomas Jefferson, to American historical documents, etc. It's all very interesting to read. Pity, though, that Ngugi's plea to his fellow African writers -- to write books in their mother language -- has so far met harsh resistance and criticism from most African writers, who dismiss Ngugi's propositions as anything from "impracticable" to "nutty". It looks like these harsh critics are still so in love with the white man's language that the white man brought to them. I personally think Ngugi has a point there and that Ngugi's ideas will be revisited in the future, by more enlightened "clubs" of African writers, who will rejuvenate his ideas. As a way of setting an example, Ngugi stopped writing in English and writes only in his native Gikuyu; the books are then translated to English. Well done, Ngugi!

"Writers in politics" is, I think, one of Ngugi's last books written in the English language. It is an in-depth analysis of an Africa caught in the cultural doldrums of today's unpredictable status quo, after slavery and colonialism. It is a book about "neo-colonialism". I think readers who like this book will also find "Decolonising The Mind" -- another Ngugi book -- interesting. The two books have many common themes and lines of argument. "Writers In Politics" is a book about the progression of African literature and its meaningfulness as seen by a literary seer.