Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was born in 1938 in Kamiriithu, Kenya, with the birth name James Ngugi. As a teenager, his family was caught up in the Mau Mau Uprising, a war that took place from 1952-1960: his half-brother was active in the Kenya Land and Freedom Party, and his mother was tortured at a homeguard post. Ngũgĩ attended the Alliance High School, followed by Makerere Univesity College in Uganda, receiving his B.A. in English in 1963. His debut novel, Weep Not, Child, was published in 1964, the first English-language novel published by an East African writer. His second novel, The River Between, was set during the Mau Mau Uprising, and involves a romance between Christians and...
Join Now to View Premium Content
GradeSaver provides access to 2368 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11018 literature essays, 2791 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.
