Detained: A Writer's Prison DiaryNairobi, 1981 - 232 pages "The international outcry over Ngũgĩ's detention without trial by the Kenyan authorities reached him even in Kamĩtĩ Maximum Security Prison. With great accomplishment, he describes the purposeful degradation and humiliation of the political detainees, the neglect and casual cruelty that undermined their health, the debilitating blend of tension and tedium that marked each day in prison. From time to time the routine was fractured: by acute distress, when Ngũgĩ refused to wear the chains that were a condition of family visits; by astonishment, when a warder lectured Ngūgi about the tyranny of foreign languages; by an agonizing sense of loss, when Ngugi's novel, written in Gĩkũyũ, was seized by the prison guards. (It was later returned and will appear in English under the title Devil on the Cross.) An artfully integrated series of reflections enables him to consider his own writing, the nature of imprisonment and the way forward for the people of Kenya"-- |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
African anti-imperialist arrest and detention asked British cell chains colonial culture comprador bourgeoisie Council culture of fear December democratic domination European exploitation foreign freedom Harry Thuku human Kamīrīīthū Kamīti Kamītī Prison KANU government Kenya National Theatre Kenyan history Kenyan national Kenyatta Kenyatta National Hospital Kiambu Kikuyu Koigi Koigi wa Wamwere Koitalel labour later leader letter Limuru literary live Martin Shikuku Matheenge Mau Mau Mombasa months National Theatre nationalist neo-colonial never Ngaahika Ndeenda Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o Njooki novel Nyambura officer oppression P.O. Box parliament peasants and workers people's person Petals of Blood play police political detainees political prisoners position Professor Ngũgĩ public security regime release Review Tribunal rôle settler Shikuku silence social struggle suddenly talk tell toilet-paper told torture University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor village voice Waiyaki warders Wasonga Sijeyo whole words workers and peasants writing