795. Nervous Conditions

Nervous Conditions
Tsitsi Dangarembga
1988
Around 205 pages

We are on novel number 795, but we are still checking off firsts! This our first novel from Zimbabwe. It's also the first book published by a black woman from Zimbabwe in English. So I'm excited to explore this corner of the world, particularly from a female perspective.

The novel begins with Tambu telling us her brother Nhamo died, and she's not sad about it. The only thing Tambu desires is to attend school, but her family is very poor and does not have enough money to pay her school fees. Tambu’s uncle, Babamukuru, suggests that Tambu take Nhamo's place and attend the missionary school by his house.

I thought this novel started very strong, but didn't necessarily sustain its momentum for its entire run. Still, this is a significant landmark in post colonial and feminist literature, so it's worth reading. And I thought it was skillful that she was able to highlight so many big concepts, with a relatively straightforward and simple story.

I also think the title is brilliant, taken from a Jean-Paul Sartre quote: "The condition of native is a nervous condition."

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

In May 2018, the BBC named Nervous Conditions as one of the top 100 books that have shaped the world.

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