Samassi, a young man from one of the French-speaking African countries, secures a scholarship to study in London. Midway through his English language course his scholarship is withdrawn, forcing him to take up jobs to support himself. He graduates and eventually secures a good job – after several futile attempts.
For an African with accent, Samassi’s rise in the company is phenomenal. But the more he climbs the corporate ladder, the more he feels out of place. Convinced that his rightful place is in Africa, Samassi returns to live in neighbouring Senegal only to find himself in deep trouble, accused of murder, just a few months after his return.
Episodic and full of intense and vivid moments, the author deliberately uses a fragmented and disjointed narrative style to capture the cadences of modern life in London, as seen by Africans. An excellent read!
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Issaka K. Souare was born in N’Zérékoré, Guinea-Conakry, West Africa, on 2 March 1976. He holds a Master degree in International Relations from London Metropolitan University, and is preparing for a PhD programme in the same field. He currently works as a Press Office Intern at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International’s office in London.
Mr Souare contributes regularly to a number of newspapers, magazines and journals, including West Africa magazine and the London-based French monthly journal, Le Médiateur. He is fluent in many languages including French, English, and Arabic.