An Elegy for Easterly: Stories

These short stories were very good. The excellent Zimbabwean author Pettina Gappah deserves much greater fame than she has currently received. They are an interesting window into different aspects and periods of Zimbabwean life and I generally recommend them to anyone who likes good literature

i visited Zimbabwe recently an was in awe of how hospitable the people are. I truly felt at home. The food amazing! The people amazing! So I Decided to search for some Zim writers and here I am. I love this quick read! Every story so different. The last story was the sadest. I wish there was an entire novel on it.

I have just finished the book and I already miss the warm voice of the author, the deeply humane characters and the lullaby-like pace of the narrative.Petina Gappah is one of the best writers I have encountered in quite a while.

We often wonder how Zimbabweans have coped with the tragic political, economic, and social environment. Whenever I try to explain the beauty and strength of the Zimbabwean people, I find myself stumbling over words and not able to really explain myself or how people do survive--both materially and emotionally--with any eloquence. Thankfully, Petina Gappah's collection of stories succeeds where I fail miserably. As the other reviewer said, these stories are sad, hilarious, and very real. You find yourself empathizing and understanding them as people as they struggle through their daily lives.This is a fantastic book that helps explain the real lives of real Zimbabweans living in a very unreal time. If you want to understand Zimbabwe beyond cholera, Mugabe, AIDS, and politics -- this collection will help get you there.

I haven't been to Zimbabwe for over 15 yrs and when I heard this new author of contemporary stories interviewed on NPR I immediately ordered her new book. Her characters and their situations range across the spectrum of means, from the wife of a wealthy politician to a rural woman whose township is reduced to rubble at the hands of a ruthless government. In total, her stories paint a vivid portrait of life in Zimbabwe today. The theme of endurance and resilience is inspiring and also heartbreaking, as the challenges her characters face, very real challenges to the people of Zimbabwe today, are so much more extreme than the Zimbabwe I knew.The writing is searing, direct and beautiful.

My fav so far by Petinah!

Felt like being back in Zimbabwe.So very real!

The author shows sensitivity, humor and skill in this fine collection of stories about her Zimbabwean homeland. I hope to see more from this talented young author soon.

Interesting tales