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Murambi, The Book of Bones

Boubacar Boris Diop author Fiona Mc Laughlin author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Indiana University Press

Published:4th Apr '06

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Murambi, The Book of Bones cover

The first English translation of a powerful and disturbing novel.

A powerful and disturbing novel of the Rwandan genocide

In April of 1994, nearly a million Rwandans were killed in what would prove to be one of the swiftest, most terrifying killing sprees of the 20th century. In Murambi, The Book of Bones, Boubacar Boris Diop comes face to face with the chilling horror and overwhelming sadness of the tragedy. Here, the power of Diop's acclaimed novel is available to English-speaking readers through Fiona Mc Laughlin's crisp translation and a compelling afterword by Diop. The novel recounts the story of a Rwandan history teacher, Cornelius Uvimana, who was living and working in Djibouti at the time of the massacre. He returns to Rwanda to try to comprehend the death of his family and to write a play about the events that took place there. As the novel unfolds, Cornelius begins to understand that it is only our humanity that will save us, and that as a writer, he must bear witness to the atrocities of the genocide.

An important contribution to world literature. . . Fiona Mc Laughlin has made a masterful translation.

* African Studies Review *

[This novel] comes closer than have many political scientists or historians to trying to understand why this small country . . . sank in such appalling violence.

* Radio France International *

A powerful contribution to the literature of the Rwandan genocide.

* Kirkus Revie

  • Winner of Neustadt International Prize for Literature 2021 (United States)

ISBN: 9780253218520

Dimensions: 210mm x 140mm x 15mm

Weight: 268g

228 pages