AFTER LIVES: a book review

Book author: AbdulRazak Gurnah

 

I get a bit afraid when I pick up a book by a Nobel winner author. I found them less readable in the past. So, when I came to know about Abdulrazak Gurnah, I shelved this book in Goodreads half-heartedly. Then in my recent book shop voyage, I found this book in front of my nose and was cheerful to see a less popular book found in this part of the world. It was enough reason to buy it. And the beautiful cover encouraged me to start reading soon. What I noticed from the first page is, oh this book is so readable, so relatable- how the author won a Nobel… LOL.

Set in the late 19th and the early 20th century East Africa, After Lives tells us about the lives of some common African people living under the colonial rules of the German, the British whichever came to rule. About some people who joined the war for whatever reasons the colonial government asked them to join.

After Lives reminded me of how the British colonials ruled this part of the world, the Indian subcontinent. Same motive, conquer the land. First by killing the population, then changing strategy by establishing schools, hospitals to civilize the native and do wrong in lawful ways. Only difference I could feel is, the ferocity of torture on African people seemed more than that of on Indian people. Is it that the amount of hatred and ferocity depends on the darkness of your skin? 

I crave multicultural books. I like to spot the similarities of two cultures without seeing them with naked eyes.  The people, the religion, the colonialism of East Africa, somewhere in Kenya, seemed so relatable! The same routines of living in an Islamic country like, fasting and getting religious in the Ramadan, feeling ashamed and judged if you don’t know how to pray. What they wear has common ground with us too. Kanga seemed like our saree and buibui was like a burqa. The names - Afiya, Karim, Ilyas, Asha- felt like Kenya is our next door neighbor, he he.

The baraza at Khalifa's place reminded me of Odenigbo's evening tea in Half of a Yellow Sun. Though set in about 70 years apart, the tea party divided in many groups according to their opinion on colonialism. We see members who are against colonialism, period, who are trying to define what should be the balance and we see a character, almost like a love child of the best of German colonialism. 

When Hamza bought the house from Nassor Biashara, it reminded me of African people who bought their own land from the colonial powers of the German and British with their lives and deaths. Hamza learned skills, became literate and it was then when he got the courage to ask his employer for what was his right. Like the Germans came, tortured and taught the native and it was their zivilisierungmission that in turn made them leave Africa in the end. 

The relationship between Khalifa and Nassor Biashara reminded me of that of Dina Lal and Amir Shah in Five Queen’s Road. A book set in the post colonial time. In both the books, there is something in the air between the two colleagues/neighbors, unspoken in the book.

The stories did not stick to a timeline for long, they hovered around the politics of the world or of the African world and like old news, they got forgotten in later pages. It made the book less focused, on anything. The joy of reading the book is knowing about a different culture, a different time period and noticing the similarities today. I hope to read more of Gurnah in future.