Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tales, dossiers and the ever subjective truth...part 1

Having sat through the entire book, ever so cleverly titled "it's our turn to eat: the story of a Kenyan whistle-blower" my mind is pulled in what seems to be a hundred different directions. I am mystified, exhilarated, flabbergasted, astonished, excited, terrified...and did I mention this is the THIRD time I am reading this book ever so diligently written by one Michela Wrong? As my eyes and mind try to wrap themselves around all 335 pages of what I would frankly declare GLORIOUS INSANITY, all I can think about is where can I possibly begin when discussing this piece of art..yes yes...piece of art...brace yourselves, for I am more than ready to defend my placing this book on such a high pedestal. So here's what my brainstorming surmounts to: I will dedicate November 2009 to Githongo, to Michela and to this piece of art...I really do need a month to get through all I have to say on this book and on the dossier..so here's to hoping that you dear reader will bear with me...better yet...share in this crazy journey with me as I try to unravel...even peel off...all the different layers that go into this book and all the prospects and stances that this book is representative of.
"It's our turn to eat: the story of a Kenyan whistle blower" is truly a remarkable piece of art in all essence of the phrase, not because its specific content rings true, no..for me that is besides the point! This book is a representation of a different kind of truth, a different kind of wisdom, of courage...to talk so openly about corruption, about nepotism, about ethnic trifles so rampant and so present that they are equated to straitjackets, which once tailored cannot easily be unstitched! Now granted, the writer is "the other", an outsider looking in, but she tells a tale of a man that is the inner most insider, not only is he "just Kenyan" but he's an insider that sheds light to things that remain unseen by the common eye...before we neat pick on what the specificity of the book is, let us at least give it credit for the path it has created for us to even be having this virtual dialogue with one another.
November 10th marks day 1 of this dialogue...as I brace myself, collect my thoughts and notes in readiness for the discussion of the conundrum that this book really is.

Signed:
An extremely excited yet slightly frightened "truthspeak"

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