This book portrays how tough it is to be a promising clever kid in a village in Kenya, going to the big city for work after graduating top of the class, and not finding a job there even after trying so hard. Pride keeps you from returning to the village with nothing accomplished, and being unemployed on the streets of Nairobi is a hard life. Its portrayal of Nairobi street life is brutally real. This book really makes you feel the main character's desperation. Meja Mwangi writes really well and with a light touch that makes you think instead of just making you sad. The book is considered a classic in Kenya. With good reason! Highly recommended

Europeans are way ahead of us when it comes to appreciating African art of any kind. Thus, I am thankful that Heinemann, a British publisher, has seen fit to make sure that English-speaking readers have the opportunity to experience the depth, warmth, humor, and perserverance of African characters written by African writers.

To say that Striving for the Wind is only about a rich man vs. a poor man (and a poor village) is an oversimplification. Mr. Mwangi has crafted an almost Shakespearean tale set in rural Kenya. The main protagonist is Baba Pesa, the town bully: he's toughest, meanest, and by far the richest. Eldest son Juda enjoys his position as the town drunk yet also the wisest of philosophers. Juda tends to side with the man whom Baba Pesa considers his biggest enemy--Baba Baru. Baru's crime is not caving into Pesa's demands, but he is also beholden to his family who, like most of the village people, suffer a meagre existence. Mutiso the Goatherd is the kindest and wisest of all the men, and thus often ends up with the women. While Mama Pesa and Mama Baru handle things much differently than the men, they are bound by time honored traditions. While they may seem docile and subservient, they have the heaviest loads to bear and bear them much better than the men do. In addition, there is a dazzling array of fun characters (including Juda's dog Confucius, the Thinker) and a plot that delves into more than first appears to be the subject, including religion, police brutality, farm life, poverty, brain drain, women's rights (or lack thereof), cronyism, and much more. The novel speaks volumes about the effects of imperialist colonization and its aftermath.

What struck me first and foremost is the humor. I laughed aloud several times, and yet almost always I wanted to cry too. The only book I've read that has had a similar feel to it is My Friend Matt & Hena the Whore by Adam Zameenad. These types of works open up new worlds for those of us who haven't had much exposure to the so-called Third World other than the occasional blurb on the nightly world news. Pass the Word. If you read the book, you'll know what I mean.