KotiRyhmätKeskusteluLisääAjan henki
Etsi sivustolta
Tämä sivusto käyttää evästeitä palvelujen toimittamiseen, toiminnan parantamiseen, analytiikkaan ja (jos et ole kirjautunut sisään) mainostamiseen. Käyttämällä LibraryThingiä ilmaiset, että olet lukenut ja ymmärtänyt käyttöehdot ja yksityisyydensuojakäytännöt. Sivujen ja palveluiden käytön tulee olla näiden ehtojen ja käytäntöjen mukaista.

Tulokset Google Booksista

Pikkukuvaa napsauttamalla pääset Google Booksiin.

Ladataan...

Call and Response: Stories

Tekijä: Gothataone Moeng

JäseniäKirja-arvostelujaSuosituimmuussijaKeskimääräinen arvioMaininnat
444569,666 (3.5)11
"Richly drawn stories about the lives of ordinary families in contemporary Botswana as they navigate love, relationships, tradition, caretaking and grieving in a rapidly changing world. A young widow who for a nearly a year wears mourning clothes in part as a warning to those who believe the old superstitions about bad luck following--even though she's unsure what the traditions mean or whether she is ready to meet the world without their protection. A girl who blossoms into womanhood as her once vibrant aunt lays dying in the room next to hers, torn by familial obligation and her growing desire for independence. An older sister who returns home from a confusing time in America only to explain at every turn why she's left the land of opportunity. A younger sister hiding her sexual exploits from her family while her older brother openly flaunts his infidelity. The stories collected in CALL AND RESPONSE introduce women whose desires and obligations will be achingly familiar and who anchored to a place that's new in fiction - in the village of Serowe, where the author is from, and in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. The protagonists here chart the emotional journeys of seeking love and opportunity beyond the barriers of tradition and circumstance. Suffused with beauty, sorrow, and longing, Gothataone Moeng--part of a new generation of writers coming out of Africa whose voices are ready to explode onto the literary scene in the West--explores the inherent clashes between tradition and modernity, ancestral expectations and imported dreams. In the tradition of writers like Chimamanda Adiche and Jhumpa Lahiri, her work offers us insight into communities, experiences and landscapes that have been underexplored, through stories that are cinematic in their sweep, with unforgettable female protagonists"--… (lisätietoja)
Ladataan...

Kirjaudu LibraryThingiin nähdäksesi, pidätkö tästä kirjasta vai et.

Ei tämänhetkisiä Keskustelu-viestiketjuja tästä kirjasta.

» Katso myös 11 mainintaa

näyttää 4/4
This debut collection of short stories depict life in contemporary Botswana, typically from the perspective of women and girls. Many stories are set in the capital and largest city of Gaborone, and contrast the traditional ways of the outlying villages to the modern ways of the big city when young people move there for work. Generational conflict is also a major theme. The lingering effects of colonialism color the stories, as does ongoing crises like the AIDS epidemic. The longest story "Early life and education," follows the life of Lerako, a man raised by extended family after his mother's unplanned pregnancy, and takes place over many decades paralleling the changes in Botswana at the time. Moeng is an interesting writer and it will be worth seeing what she publishes next. ( )
  Othemts | Feb 5, 2024 |
A debut collection of short stories set in contemporary Botswana. Gothataone Moeng has often vivid turns of phrase and a real knack for letting a character's words and actions show us who they are. I could "see" many of the people she talks about here—often young women feeling themselves pulled in various directions—with great clarity. There are some beautiful poignant moments here. But I found Call and Response to be more a series of vignettes/character studies than stories proper, with the individual pieces seeming to come to an end rather than truly finishing. And I think I could roll a little more easily with a story that faded out like that if I felt it had been written with a point in mind rather than a theme. That quibble aside, there's a great deal of promise here and I'll keep an eye out of Moeng's forthcoming novel. ( )
  siriaeve | Oct 27, 2023 |
I still go into the city sometimes. When it cannot be avoided, I, as we used to say, very-nice myself. I powder my face, paint my lips red, and subdue my body into skintight jeans. I brace myself for the city center and its deceptions.

The stories in this collection are all set in Botswana, most in the town of Serowe, but also in the Capitol city of Gabarone. Most are coming-of-age stories, mostly following young women as they try to find their way in a world sandwiched between traditional expectations and modern aspirations. The author grew up in Serowe, where she currently lives, but she attended university in the US and this collection is written with its western audience in mind.

Every winter, Mrs. Botho Kennekae's husband took time off from his driving job in the city and spent three weeks at the cattle-post, where he did whatever men did there--presumably off the softness they withheld from everyone to their cattle, for the cattle were the great loves of their lives, so beloved the men called them wet-nosed gods, so beloved the men agreed: without cattle, a man pined and lost his sleep; still, having cattle, a man fretted and lost his sleep.

Moeng writes well, but where she shines is in her character studies. From an earnest young man trying to avoid any sinful activity, to a lonely married woman who may not have told her family the truth about her life in Gabarone, all of Moeng's characters are wonderfully complex and full of life. I really enjoyed this peek into a place I know very little about. ( )
  RidgewayGirl | Mar 24, 2023 |
Imbued with emotion and reflection, Call and Response will supply readers with a front-row seat into Batswana life. In 9 beautifully written, self-revelatory stories, we experience the inner turmoil and contradictions of embracing cultural traditions in post-colonial Botswana, inevitable shifts and changes in shared bonds between people, coming of age, navigating familial expectations, and the all too familiar event and memories of homecoming.

Be prepared to traverse around cities of Botswana, and witness the characters’ revelations of themselves as they answer their call.

I recommend this short story collection and rate it a 3.25. The writing is poignant and thought-provoking. That is what I most enjoyed about it. Despite my enjoyment of Moeng’s writing, the pacing of the stories did not compel me to reach for the book as much as I expected to. It would have been a perfect fit for me if the calling were stronger.

I suggest this book to readers who are seeking a slower-paced collection of stories, centered around mostly female characters.

Many thanks to Viking, Gothataone Moeng, and NetGalley for an Advanced Review Copy in exchange for an honest review. My review/reaction is voluntary, all thoughts are mine and unbiased, and receiving the Advanced Review Copy does not influence my rating and/or recommendation.

Full Review Here: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/book-review-call-and-response-by-gothataon... ( )
  Jaleesa_RBTBC | Feb 7, 2023 |
näyttää 4/4
ei arvosteluja | lisää arvostelu
Sinun täytyy kirjautua sisään voidaksesi muokata Yhteistä tietoa
Katso lisäohjeita Common Knowledge -sivuilta (englanniksi).
Teoksen kanoninen nimi
Alkuteoksen nimi
Teoksen muut nimet
Alkuperäinen julkaisuvuosi
Henkilöt/hahmot
Tärkeät paikat
Tiedot englanninkielisestä Yhteisestä tiedosta. Muokkaa kotoistaaksesi se omalle kielellesi.
Tärkeät tapahtumat
Kirjaan liittyvät elokuvat
Epigrafi (motto tai mietelause kirjan alussa)
Omistuskirjoitus
Ensimmäiset sanat
Sitaatit
Viimeiset sanat
Erotteluhuomautus
Julkaisutoimittajat
Kirjan kehujat
Alkuteoksen kieli
Kanoninen DDC/MDS
Kanoninen LCC

Viittaukset tähän teokseen muissa lähteissä.

Englanninkielinen Wikipedia

-

"Richly drawn stories about the lives of ordinary families in contemporary Botswana as they navigate love, relationships, tradition, caretaking and grieving in a rapidly changing world. A young widow who for a nearly a year wears mourning clothes in part as a warning to those who believe the old superstitions about bad luck following--even though she's unsure what the traditions mean or whether she is ready to meet the world without their protection. A girl who blossoms into womanhood as her once vibrant aunt lays dying in the room next to hers, torn by familial obligation and her growing desire for independence. An older sister who returns home from a confusing time in America only to explain at every turn why she's left the land of opportunity. A younger sister hiding her sexual exploits from her family while her older brother openly flaunts his infidelity. The stories collected in CALL AND RESPONSE introduce women whose desires and obligations will be achingly familiar and who anchored to a place that's new in fiction - in the village of Serowe, where the author is from, and in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. The protagonists here chart the emotional journeys of seeking love and opportunity beyond the barriers of tradition and circumstance. Suffused with beauty, sorrow, and longing, Gothataone Moeng--part of a new generation of writers coming out of Africa whose voices are ready to explode onto the literary scene in the West--explores the inherent clashes between tradition and modernity, ancestral expectations and imported dreams. In the tradition of writers like Chimamanda Adiche and Jhumpa Lahiri, her work offers us insight into communities, experiences and landscapes that have been underexplored, through stories that are cinematic in their sweep, with unforgettable female protagonists"--

Kirjastojen kuvailuja ei löytynyt.

Kirjan kuvailu
Yhteenveto haiku-muodossa

Current Discussions

-

Suosituimmat kansikuvat

Pikalinkit

Arvio (tähdet)

Keskiarvo: (3.5)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3 1
3.5 2
4 1
4.5
5

Oletko sinä tämä henkilö?

Tule LibraryThing-kirjailijaksi.

 

Lisätietoja | Ota yhteyttä | LibraryThing.com | Yksityisyyden suoja / Käyttöehdot | Apua/FAQ | Blogi | Kauppa | APIs | TinyCat | Perintökirjastot | Varhaiset kirja-arvostelijat | Yleistieto | 203,188,259 kirjaa! | Yläpalkki: Aina näkyvissä