Description

An acclaimed collection of literary criticism and brilliant insights from one of the giants of contemporary thinking

Who owns language? In Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas, Ngugi wa Thiong’o presents a series of essays that build on his vast wealth of work on language and its constructive role in national culture, history, and identity. Intricate, nuanced and accessible, it reaffirms the revolutionary power of African languages to fight back against both the psychic and material impacts of colonialism, past and present.

With immense relevance to our present moment, Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas is a brilliant distillation of the enduring themes of Ngugi’s work and a vital addition to the library of one of the world’s greatest and most provocative writers.

Publisher Review

One of the greatest writers of our time — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie A giant of African writing * Guardian * One of Africa’s greatest writers * New York Times * A visionary writer * Daily Telegraph * Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a revolutionary * Paris Review * One of Kenya’s greatest storytellers * Financial Times * Ngugi is the most celebrated of African novelists. What he offers is nothing less than a new direction for African writing * British Book News * Generations of readers learned about the urgency of decolonizing language and culture from Ngugi wa Thiong’o. It is a great gift to have his incisive thinking on the subject gathered together in this book — Elleke Boehmer