In the eyes of an African teenager who joins the army without really knowing why, Ken Saro-Wiwa takes us into the chaos of a meaningless chaos, that of Nigerian civil war (1967-1970). Written in an extraordinary language – “rotten English” –, Sozaboy is a masterpiece of African literature; its astonishing violence and audacity have been celebrated throughout the world as a fierce plea against the madness of war.
Ken Saro-Wiwa was born in Nigeria in 1941. After studying English, he worked as a teacher in Laos. Besides writing novels and popular soap operas for television, he later created his own publishing house and was the President of the Association of Nigerian Authors for three years. As a journalist, he has been praised for his caustic pen and courageous positions. In 1995, he was sentenced to death and executed by hanging because of his militancy in favor of the Ogoni community to which he belonged.
Year of publication of the pan-African version: 2008,
294 pages,
11,5 X 19 cm