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Nervous Conditions

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Nervous Conditions

By: Tsitsi Dangarembga
Narrated by: Chipo Chung
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About this listen

FROM THE BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF THIS MOURNABLE BODY, ONE OF THE BBC'S 100 WOMEN FOR 2020

' UNFORGETTABLE' Alice Walker 'THIS IS THE BOOK WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR' Doris Lessing 'A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE BOOK.' Booklist 'AN ABSORBING PAGE-TURNER' Bloomsbury Review 'A MASTERPIECE' Madeleine Thien 'ARRESTING' Kwame Anthony Appiah

Two decades before Zimbabwe would win independence and ended white minority rule, thirteen-year-old Tambudzai Sigauke embarks on her education. On her shoulders rest the economic hopes of her parents, siblings, and extended family, and within her burns the desire for independence. A timeless coming-of-age tale, and a powerful exploration of cultural imperialism, Nervous Conditions charts Tambu's journey to personhood in a nation that is also emerging.

'With its searing observations, devastating exploration of the state of "not being", wicked humour and astonishing immersion into the mind of a young woman growing up and growing old before her time, the novel is a masterpiece.' Madelein Thien

©2021 Tsitsi Dangarembga (P)2021 Faber & Faber Classics Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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What an incredible engaging and well performed book well done to Tsitsi for such captivating work and to Chipo for bringing the characters to life!

Captivating and engaging

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Genuine performance and touching story. One of my favourite stories overall, definitely a feminist classic.

Touching story

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If you have had (as I have had), a relative who lived in Zimbabwe when it was Rhodesia, and who told stories of the struggles in that country over many decades, you must ‘read’ (listen to) this book.
If you have never known anyone who lived in Zimbabwe when it was Rhodesia, but have an interest in the impact of colonial rule, you must ‘read’ this book.
If you want to begin to understand Africa, even from the perspective of one local culture, you must ‘read’ this book.
It is beautifully written, moving, provocative and challenging.
Oh Africa, what have the colonials done to you. What would that extraordinary continent be like now, it is had not been culturally overwhelmed by Europeans and denuded of its riches, resources and people, by outsiders.
Tsitsi Dangaremba is an extraordinary writer. She deserves to be read and to be listened to, in every way.

Moving & thought provoking.

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Really interesting read, good strong sympathetic characters, lots of great rich descriptions, compelling, would recommend

Good, interesting read

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incredible performance. searing writing. diligent exposition of the impact of white supremacy, church, capitalism and the patriarchy, class onto the lives of women and men, boys and girls

Phenomenal insight into colonial Zimbabwe

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The voice sounds authentic for the book and region - I hate English sounding voices reading books set in Africa. Fabulous story. I love the sense of Zimbabwe that comes through in this. This gets into themes of gender, race, poverty, and colonisation. All through the story and you can almost smell Africa and feel it on your skin.

Bathe yourself in Zimbabwe.

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I really enjoyed most of this although I often found the central character quite unsympathetic, although she improved as the book progressed. Very interesting and illuminating about Zimbabwean life and culture.

Illuminating story

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A fascinating and well written book. I really enjoyed it! would listen to again.

great book

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The story gives much food for thought and the narrator really brought it to life.

A gripping read , giving much food for thought.

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A brilliant telling of what it means to be African in a multi-ethnic society, and our place within new family dynamics brought on by changing attitudes and the blending of cultures.

Brilliant telling of the search fo self-identity

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