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Kuwisha Trilogy #1
Last Orders at Harrods: An African Tale
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Charity Mupanga has a problem. The widowed owner of Harrods International Bar (and Nightspot), the most popular meeting place in the shantytown of Kireba can handle most of life's challenges, but threatening letters from those powerful London lawyers are beginning to fluster her.
How dare a London store, no matter how big and famous, claim exclusive use of the first name of her late father, Harrods Tangwenya, gardener to successive British high commissioners for nearly twenty years? Well-meant but inept efforts to foil the bog city lawyers bring Harrods to the brink of disaster, and Charity close to despair. But an accidental riot, copupled with some quick thinking by Titus Ntoto, the 14-year-old leader of the slum's toughest street gang, leaves both lawyers and locals happy with the outcome in this sharply observed satirical look at contemporary Africa.
Michael Holman was brought up in Zimbabwe and now lives in London. He was Africa editor of the London Financial Times from 1984 until 2002; between 1977 and 1984 he was the Financial Times' Africa correspondent, based in Lusaka, Zambia.
How dare a London store, no matter how big and famous, claim exclusive use of the first name of her late father, Harrods Tangwenya, gardener to successive British high commissioners for nearly twenty years? Well-meant but inept efforts to foil the bog city lawyers bring Harrods to the brink of disaster, and Charity close to despair. But an accidental riot, copupled with some quick thinking by Titus Ntoto, the 14-year-old leader of the slum's toughest street gang, leaves both lawyers and locals happy with the outcome in this sharply observed satirical look at contemporary Africa.
Michael Holman was brought up in Zimbabwe and now lives in London. He was Africa editor of the London Financial Times from 1984 until 2002; between 1977 and 1984 he was the Financial Times' Africa correspondent, based in Lusaka, Zambia.
279 pages, Paperback
First published May 10,2005
This edition
- Format
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279 pages, Paperback
- Published
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January 1, 1900 by Polygon
- ISBN
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9781904598329
- ASIN
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1904598323
- Language
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English
About the author
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Michael Holman is a British journalist and writer. He was the Africa Editor of the Financial Times from 1984 to 2002 and has written several novels and an autobiography.
He was born in Penzance, Cornwall, but his parents emigrated to Southern Rhodesia when he was two. He was educated at Chaplin High School and studied English at University College of Rhodesia where he was awarded a BA in 1968.
Holman was the co-editor of Black & White, a satirical magazine. The publication was banned by the Rhodesian government and he was arrested in August 1968 and restricted to his home town of Gwelo under the Law & Order (Maintenance) Act. In August 1969 the order was extended for a further year.
He was granted an exit permit to attend the University of Edinburgh and was awarded an MSc in Politics in 1971. From 1972 he worked as a freelance journalist based in London. In 1977 he was appointed Africa correspondent for the Financial Times, based in Lusaka, Zambia and in 1984 he was promoted to Africa Editor.
In his late 30s, Holman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and has written on the experience of undergoing deep brain simulation surgery.
He was born in Penzance, Cornwall, but his parents emigrated to Southern Rhodesia when he was two. He was educated at Chaplin High School and studied English at University College of Rhodesia where he was awarded a BA in 1968.
Holman was the co-editor of Black & White, a satirical magazine. The publication was banned by the Rhodesian government and he was arrested in August 1968 and restricted to his home town of Gwelo under the Law & Order (Maintenance) Act. In August 1969 the order was extended for a further year.
He was granted an exit permit to attend the University of Edinburgh and was awarded an MSc in Politics in 1971. From 1972 he worked as a freelance journalist based in London. In 1977 he was appointed Africa correspondent for the Financial Times, based in Lusaka, Zambia and in 1984 he was promoted to Africa Editor.
In his late 30s, Holman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and has written on the experience of undergoing deep brain simulation surgery.
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Rating(4 / 5.0, 28 votes)
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28 reviews All reviews
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A rather random find on BorrowBox to fit a reading challenge task. I didn't have any particular book in mind so I was browsing and thought this might be a fun-funny sort of read. I guess there was some funny bits but there wasn't enough for me to think it as a funny read. This cover (the blues and yellows) made me think that it's going to be a hilarious romp through Africa but boy, was I wrong! And unfortunately, I just wasn't that interested in the story or any of the characters but I didn't mind the wily ending. I don't think I'd read the rest of the trilogy.
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Though it raises interesting issues about Africa, the writing is all over the place and not done very well.
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So far so good. Story appears to be largely factually based so gives a view of life in East Africa.
I liked it
I liked it
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It was a fair read but not as funny as I was expecting. I live in Kampala so I can relate to much of the book. Why though do authors stereotype many aspects the people one finds living/working in Africa. Worth a read though.
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What a disappointment! I love Alexander Mccall Smith's books on Botswana and the Wild birds of East Africa. So, I was hoping for another little gem which sadly never materialised. I shan't be reading the sequel.
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I read to page 230 of 300 when a ridiculous plot twist made me close the book with no intention of going back to finish it. It was OK up to that point but, life is too short to read a book that relies on such an inane device. It turned into a farce & I realised I actually didn't care what happened & I won't be finding out.
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Brilliant, well-written and funny.
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