The Book of Secrets

In 1988, a retired schoolteacher named Pius Fernandes receives an old diary found in the back room of an East African shop Written in 1913 by a British colonial administrator, the diary captivates Fernandes, who begins to research the coded history he encounters in its terse, laconic entries What he uncovers is a story of forbidden liaisons and simmering vengeances, family secrets and cultural exiles a story that leads him on an investigative journey through his own past and Africa s. Best Read [ The Book of Secrets ] By [ M.G. Vassanji ] For Kindle ePUB or eBook – kino-fada.fr The book focuses on a part of history that doesn t often get attention in fiction the First World War in East Africa and the Gujarati Indian community in Kenya and Tanzania.The plot is quite intricate and I like the fact that the author ...I read this book along with the Great African Reads group, as they focus on a different Kenyan author every month in 2016 I appreciated getting to read this book for several reasons It won the Giller Prize in 1994, and I always want to expand my reading of Canadian authors I had not yet read or learned of how the European conflicts in World War I effected their African colonies This takes place in the Indian and British settlements in East Africa, as well as the German East Africa connected I read this book along with the Great African Reads group, as they focus on a different Kenyan author every month in 2016 I appreciated getting t...This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers To view it, click here First what I liked about the Book of Secrets I ve never read a book set in this part of the world and so that was new to me I know very little of the colonial history of Kenya and East Africa Also, the women in the story, particularly Mariamu, were vivid compared to the male characters.Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would I found the cast of characters somewhat confusing because of the past present timelines Perhaps my attention span is suffering so I won t blame First what I liked about the Book of Secrets I ve never read a book set in this part of the world and so that was new to me I know very little of the colonial history of Kenya and East Africa Also, the women in the story, particularly Mariamu, were vivid compared to the male characters.Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would I found the cast of characters somewhat confusing because of the past present timelines Perhaps my attention span is suffering so I won t blame the author the writing was good but I had a hard time getting through the novel at all Mariamu was the most interesting character to me and I was able to pay attention when the author described her and her relationships to her husband and to her son When she died, I almost didn t want to finish the book Her presence remains strong throughout the remaining pages and that was well done But there were long sections dev...This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers To view it, click here I had such high expectations of this book I wanted to love it but found it to be lazily written Let me explain I loved the prose, he spins a pretty sentence but as the story progressed I couldn t suspend judgment about the coincidences that occurred and pushed the story forward I mean really, what are the odds of the guy investigating the big mystery having been infatuated the girl at the centre of it all The diary was from decades ago, found in a wall of a shop Suddenly Rita is in the p I had such high expectations of this book I wanted to love it but found it to be lazily written Let me explain I loved the prose, he spins a pretty sentence but as the story progressed I couldn t suspend judgment about the coincidences that occurred and pushed the story forward I mean really, what are the odds of the guy investigating the big mystery having been infatuated the girl at the centre of it all The diary was from decades ago, found in a wall of a shop Suddenly Rita is in the picture and lo and behold, she married Pipa s son Come on It seemed to cheapen the plot and I never got over it It was an easy out for the author, a...Amazing multi generation fictional story about Ismailis in East Africa, starting from the period before WWI, when they had just converted to Islam and therefore preserved Hindu customs, something which would conflict with successively Arabised future generations.Amazing book But it has such an inconclusive ending, so many unanswered questions, that I really have no idea what I should talk about in my presentation tomorrow This book had some interesting history about East Africa in it I found it kind of confusing and hard to follow at times.view spoiler And finally, I come to the ENDING Thank goodness It was a disappointment and a style that I do not enjoy I think it made some important points about postcolonialism, but the narration left me cold, and there was way too much telling, and not much showing And I never got to know any of the characters enough to have an opinion about them But I m done And here is the ENDI...Quite a fascinating angle of storytelling with an unique style providing an insight into two Colonial East African countries and its select inhabitants The story centers on settlements around the Mount Kilimanzaro of the British East Africa Kenya and the German East Africa Tanganyika Pius Fernandes, an ex school teacher comes across a personal diary The Book of Secrets of Alfred Corbin, a colonial administrator, with the entries from 1913 that s sketchy and apparently incomplete What fol Quite a fascinating angle of storytelling with an unique style providing an insight into two Colonial East African countries and its select inhabitants The story centers on settlements around the Mount Kilimanzaro of the British East Africa Kenya and the German East Africa Tanganyika Pius Fernandes, an ex school teacher comes across a personal diary The Book of Secrets of Alfred Corbin, a coloni...This is a book that will stick with me Mr Vassanji is one of my favourite authors This book was the first to win the prestigious Giller Prize and it is the last one in my quest to read all the Giller Prize winners which I undertook about a year ago I really enjoyed this book, both for the history and for the people that Mr Vassanji has created The book is about the changes experienced in an East African nation from a Commonwealth Country, through a war and onto independence Of course ther This is a book that will stick with me Mr Vassanji is one of my favourite authors This book was the first to win the prestigious Giller Prize and it is the last one in my quest to read all the Giller Prize winners which I undertook about a year ago I really enjoyed this book, both for the history and for the people that Mr Vassanji has created The book is about the changes experienced in an East African nation from a Commonwealth Country, through a war and onto independence Of course there are growing pains, both for the nation and for the people, but this natio...

• English
• 24 April 2017
M.G. Vassanji
• Paperback
• 360 pages
• 0312150687
• M.G. Vassanji
• The Book of Secrets