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Search Sweet Country

By Kojo Laing
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.69 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 154 ratings, 37 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Search Sweet Country by Kojo Laing is a vibrant exploration of life in post-independence Ghana, weaving together the chaotic and colourful experiences of an array of characters. Set in Accra during the 1970s, the novel captures the dynamic intersections of tradition and modernity, individual dreams, and societal changes. Through a mixture of magical realism and biting social commentary, the story vividly portrays the cultural and political landscape of the time.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an affinity for vibrant narratives set in postcolonial Africa, with its rich characterisation and unique blend of tradition and modernity. Its poetic language and vivid portrayal of Ghanaian society provide a captivating exploration of cultural identity and urban life, offering an engaging read for those intrigued by imaginative storytelling infused with social commentary.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A startling, densely poetic portrait of 1970s Ghana as it emerges from colonial rule.

Search Sweet Country follows the lives of an eclectic, interconnected group of Ghanaians living in and around the sprawling, chaotic city of Accra in the mid-1970s. Bringing the city to life in dizzying, lyrical prose, Laing weaves a story filled with bizarre and often melancholy characters: an idealistic professor, a lovely young witch, a wide-eyed student, a corrupt politician and his hack sidekick, a business-savvy young woman, a healer, a bishop, and a crazy man intent on founding his own village. Their collective narratives create a portrait of a country where colonialism is dying, but democracy remains elusive.

Search Sweet Country is a timeless, near-forgotten gem by a virtuosic writer, as necessary now as when the book was first published. Like Joyce's Dublin and Dickens's London, Laing's Accra brims with both lush specificity and universal relevance.

Winner of the Valco Fund Literary Award for Fiction and the Ghana Book Award.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

i>Search Sweet Country by Kojo Laing has been praised for its surreal and satirical narrative, showcasing an original and energetic voice. Reviews highlight its inventive use of language, combining English and African elements, creating a rich, poetic tapestry. Laing's writing is noted for its vivid imagery, demanding yet rewarding storytelling, and an intricate, dream-like quality. The novel is celebrated for being both a challenging and a truly cosmopolitan achievement.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241370094

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 August 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 269g

Pages: 368

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Fiction General Fiction Gifts $20-$50 In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Kojo Laing Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Kojo Laing was born on the Gold Coast, Ghana, in 1946, studied in Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1960s, before returning to Accra, where he would spend the rest of his life as a novelist, poet and educator. A writer of soaring originality and pioneer of Afrofuturism, his Search Sweet Country (1986) won numerous awards, vast critical acclaim, and has been praised as 'the finest novel written in English ever to come out of the African continent' (Binyavanga Wainaina).

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