Hamidou Kane

Sambo Diallo is unable to identify with the soulless material civilization he finds in France, where he is sent to learn the secrets of the white man's power.

Ambiguous Adventure

Dana Kraft

This book cuts right to the philosophical heart of the conflict between the colonizing West and Islamic Africa (at least west Africa). There is really no discussion of specific legal or colonial actions or policies on either side. The language is lyrical and philosophical, and there isn't a lot of literal "action" to convey. This made it tougher for me to read, but it also helped me focus more on the unique mindset of the African characters. That perspective was really interesting to me. It reminded me of the dangers of a dualistic mindset (us vs them, zero sum, winners/losers). This isn't a judgment on my part, just an observation as I've read several things about that recently. The main character's struggle with his faith also has some familiarity to it. One of his questions that really made me think was whether his doubts and struggles were just a part of him growing up or were part of a larger struggle for his people and his faith. No easy answers here. As part of my effort to read non-english fiction, this was a success b/c it presented a perspective that was local and unknown to me but also somewhat universal.

Ambiguous Adventure

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