Africa Writes: Zambia seen through the eyes of a mosquito...

I arrived in Bristol a few days ago but I've been too busy to post here.

It feels like every moment is relevant, sincere and a sort of important lesson at the same time!!

I'm writing - working on two books now, reporting - a few radio pieces and articles in the making, and meeting a lot of interesting people.

Step one was the literary festival Africa Writes.
On Thursday I was at the event hosting Zambian American writer Namwali Serpell, author of a first novel inspired by Zambian history and especially the colonial period and the more recent space programme:

She was discussing with Kenyan lecturer and writer Billy Kahora, who also gave a highly interesting writing workshop last Saturday.

Zambia seen through the eyes of a mosquito...

Zambia’s space programme could be read as a satirical political mockery of colonial invasion of Africa,  Namwali thought while doing her research for her novel ‘The Old Drift’.

"It's a story with magical characters... and so much historical research for the realist details," Billy Kahora said.

It's also a "love triangle between three children", and a "racist British man in Africa", said Namwali, "with strong voices", added Billy Kahora about her debut novel.

‘The Old Drift’ is the name a colonial settlement by the Zambia river, that David Livingstone claimed to have discovered...

Billy introduced her at Waterstones Bristol, as part of Africa Writes, partnered by the  Festival of Ideas  and the Royal African Society:

Namwali read the first pages:

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'The Old Drift' by Namwali Serpell can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Old-Drift-Namwali-Serpell/dp/1781090491/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=%27The+Old+Drift%27+by+Namwali+Serpell&qid=1562499201&s=books&sr=1-1