BOOKS FROM SENEGALSo Long a Letter
by Mariama Ba
Tags:
Set in Senegal
Female author
Description:
Written by award-winning African novelist Mariama Ba and translated from the original French, So Long a Letter has been recognized as one of Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century. The brief narrative, written as an extended letter, is a sequence of reminiscences - some wistful, some bitter - recounted by recently widowed Senegalese school teacher Ramatoulaye Fall. Addressed to a lifelong friend, Aissatou, it is a record of Ramatoulaye's emotional struggle for survival after her husband betrayed their marriage by taking a second wife. This semi-autobiographical account is a perceptive testimony to the plight of educated and articulate Muslim women. Angered by the traditions that allow polygyny, they inhabit a social milieu dominated by attitudes and values that deny them status equal to men. Ramatoulaye hopes for a world where the best of old customs and new freedom can be combined. Considered a classic of contemporary African women's literature, So Long a Letter is a must-read for anyone interested in African literature and the passage from colonialism to modernism in a Muslim country.
Reviews:
(1 year ago) |
23 Jul, 2024
Mariama Bâ's So Long a Letter offers a poignant and insightful glimpse into the life of Senegalese women, revealing their struggles and resilience within a deeply rooted cultural and religious context. The novel's exploration of Senegalese traditions and the challenges faced by women provides a compelling and enlightening perspective on gender and identity in a changing society.
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(6 months ago) |
08 Apr, 2025
** spoiler alert ** Ramatoulaye was a very strong woman. People kept being uncaring to her, but she chose to not pass it along to others. She recognized that her new co-wife was a child manipulated by her mother and new husband. When her husband dies, Ramatoulaye doesn't marry the man who comes knocking at her door from her past. She doesn't want to pass on the hurt that she experienced when her husband married someone new by coming between him and his family. She does her best with all her children even as they navigate a world very different from the one she grew up in. When her daughter Aissatou becomes pregnant, she doesn't rail at her and berate her. She gives her comfort and helps her figure out a way forward.
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