In a country that appears to have forgotten the importance of. Black moses, alain mabanckou, helen stevenson man booker prize. He was selected by the french journal lire as one of the fifty writers to watch out. A prolific francophone poet and novelist, alain mabanckou. Jason weaver broken glass is a derelict who drinks at a bar called credit gone west in the troiscents district of the dr congo. A former teacher and a bit of an intellectual, our friend is one day given a notebook by the owner of the bar and asked to undertake an unusual task. Broken glass, as his nickname suggests, is not the happiest of individuals, and this. The owner of the bar, stubborn snail, gives broken glass, a long time patron of the bar and narrator of the novel, a notebook in which to record daily life at the bar because he didnt. In a country that appears to have forgotten the importance of remembering, a former schoolteacher and bar regular nicknamed broken glass has been elected to record their stories for posterity. Alain mabanckou in conversation the british library. Broken glass by alain mabanckou and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His four previous novels african psycho, broken glass, black bazaar and tomorrow ill be twenty a fictionalised retelling of mabanckou s. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read.
Broken glass kindle edition by mabanckou, alain, stevenson, helen. Hes one of the authors nominated for the man booker international prize 2015 and his books. Word gets around that broken glass is writing a book, and everyone wants to tell him their story, so that they will be in the book. Alain mabanckou is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic. Praise for broken glass the guardian, 1 of 100 best books of the 21st century whatever else might be in short supply in the congo depicted by alain mabanckou, imagination and wit arent. Alain mabanckou, prolific francophone congolese poet and novelist whose wordplay, philosophical bent, and sometimes sly and often absurd sense of humour resulted in his being known in france as the african samuel beckett. His books include african psycho, letter to jimmy, black bazaar, tomorrow ill be twenty, the lights of pointenoire, and black moses. My first book, reading the world or the world between two covers, as it is known in the us, was published in 2015. Broken glass is a fixture in a congolese bar, almost to the point that it is his home. Broken glass by alain mabanckou, helen stevenson kirkus. Broken glass himself is a disgraced alcoholic school teacher with a love of french language and literature which he has largely failed to communicate to his pupils but which he displays in the pages of his notebook. The notebook is also a farewell to the bar and to his fellow drinkers.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. The long sentence is reminiscent of broken glass, mabanckous fifth novel and a. Alain mabanckou born 24 february 1966 is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic. This acclaimed book by alain mabanckou is available at in several formats for your ereader. Alain mabanckou is a francocongolese author and professor in the department of french and francophone studies at ucla. Broken glass by alain mabanckou overdrive rakuten overdrive. Mabanckou will be a fellow in the humanities council at princeton university in 20072008. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading broken glass.
In alain mabanckous broken glass, the jaccuse comes in a speech by the congolese minister for agriculture given in defense of a bar. Mabanckou s tendency to compose intricate figures against the backdrop of the republic of the congo, however, echoed over a decade prior within broken glass. The prolific francophone congolese poet and novelist discusses language, style and politics. About the author alain mabanckou was born in 1966 in congo. Memoirs of a porcupine by alain mabanckou, paperback. The fugitive, by alain mabanckou from the granta book of the african short story read in october. Last year, black moses stood as a testament to alain mabanckou s literary prowess, positing a journey of growth amid the grotesque while ensuring a classic. Mabanckou grew up in the port city of pointenoire, the only child of a.
Alain mabanckou on his profound connection to the republic. The awardwinning african author african psycho, 2007 returns with a novel about africa and the west. Alain mabanckou, poeta e romanziere, nasce nel 1966 nella repubblica del congo e trascorre linfanzia a pointenoire, capitale economica del paese. Alain mabanckou, francocongolese writer and teacher id4d. Author of six volumes of poetry and six novels, including african psycho, broken glass, and memoirs of a porcupine, mabanckous writing is rich in wordplay, philosophical questions and humour. Broken glass centres around credit gone west, a bar in the trois cents district of congo and its colourful clientele.
Alain mabanckous latest book, black moses, unfolds against this backdrop. Broken glass isbn 9781593762735 pdf epub alain mabanckou. Broken glass alain mabanckou pdf broken glass is a congolese riff on european classics from the most notable francophone african writer of alain mabanckou was born in in the congo. This is included as a short story in a book of short stories, but it reads more like an extract from a biographical essay. The world of alain mabanckou, by dominic thomas world. August 2010 jacob mikanowski fiction broken glass by alain mabanckou, translated by helen stevenson. Alain mabanckou is a francocongolese writer and teacher born in 1966 in pointenoire congo brazzaville. Memoirs of a porcupine is ultimately presented as a work by the eponymous hero of broken glass, in an appendix in which barowner and broken glass literary executor stubborn snail describes some of the background of the manuscript. In a country that appears to have forgotten the importance of remembering, a former schoolteacher and bar regular nicknamed broken glass has been elected to. Mabanckou also balances the ugly hardships described here with a keen sense of humor, as broken glass is also a decidedly comic novel beginning with a longer set piece on an attempt to come up with a catchphrase to compete with i accuse. The author was born in congo and went to france as.
Alain mabanckou s riotous new novel centers on the patrons of a rundown bar in the congo. Broken glass by alain mabanckou world literature today. He trained in law and worked for the suezlyonnaise des eaux group for ten years, before turning to writing. The owner tells him that he should write a book, and gives him a notebook to encourage him. Alain mabanckou was born in pointenoire, the principal port of the republic of the congo, in 1966 just six years after the country achieved independence from france. African writer from congobrazzaville, alain mabanckou. Broken glass is a whistlestop tour of french literature and civilization, and if you dont know your marivaux, your chateaubriand, your enas and weston shoes youll miss a lot of the gags a. He is the author of african psycho, broken glass, black bazaar, tomorrow ill. Alain mabanckous riotous new novel centers on the patrons of a rundown bar in the congo. Alain mabanckou was born in 1966 in congobrazzaville french congo. When life lets you down, all thats left is to get drunk and spin a few stories. The author of several novels as well as six books of poetry, he received the subsaharan african literature prize for bluewhitered and the prix renaudot for memoirs of a porcupine.
Novelist alain mabanckou joins philip dodd to reflect on life in france, usa and the republic of congo. As he notes, broken glass himself figures neither as narrator nor as character in the book, and so memoirs. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Join him as he explores language, style and politics, and his journey as. Pdf verre casse, alain mabanckous fifth novel, awarded several francofrench literary prizes, launched the authors breakthrough as a. Bookslut broken glass by alain mabanckou, translated by. Pdf broken glass or broken text the translatability of alain.
Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Broken glass by alain mabanckou books the guardian. Letessier professor and chair of the department of french and francophone studies at ucla. A copy can be downloaded for personal noncommercial research.
Broken glass is a comic romp that releases mabanckous sense of humour, subtly restrained in his earlier novel african psycho narrated. Whatever else might be in short supply in the congo depicted by alain mabanckou, imagination and wit arent. His novels include blue white red 1998, african psycho 2003, broken glass 2005, memoirs of a porcupine 2006, black bazaar 2009, tomorrow ill be twenty 2010, and the lights of pointenoire 20. He is best known for his novels and nonfiction writing depicting the experience of contemporary africa and the african diaspora in france. Alain mabanckou born 24 february 1966 is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic, a french citizen born in the republic of the congo, he is currently a professor of literature at ucla. Bbc radio 3 free thinking, alain mabanckou, joseph stiglitz. Mabanckou is best known for his fiction, notably verre casse broken glass, a comic novel.
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