>By Binyavanga Wainaina

i havent read this, but i need to
i was so proud when he came out a few years ago
had kenyans who didnt want to talk about homosexuality
talking about homosexuality
and it was surprising that he got a lot of support
(despite all the other stupidity that comes with this topic)


>Didn't think much of 'we need new names' and I thought 'Ghana
>must go' was much better than both that and 'Americanah'

i loved we need new names (so much better than americanah- which i did not enjoy)
it was so reminiscent of my childhood (in nairobi, no less)
and i loved that she talks about what happened in zim
but doesnt really talk about what happened in zim

not too sure how i felt about the 'in america' part of the story
i didnt feel like americannah got it at all
(the experience of moving here as a student and straddling that line between
being that african who only has african friends (i wasnt that)
and being the african trying to fit into the african american world (including the afrocentrists and hotep-isms)

and realizing for the first time ever that you are black
(and what that means living in a race conscious society that does not speak about race)

new names ... i dont know how i felt about that part of the book

so...im still waiting for someone to *get* it right.

but i enjoyed the book