With colin friels, sean connery, joanne whalley, john lithgow. William boyd was born in 1952 in accra, ghana and grew up there and in nigeria. Morgan leafy is a pale, overweight, middleaged british misanthrope who begrudges his placement as first secretary of the british deputy commission in the fictitious kinjanja, west. Brazzaville beach won the james tait black memorial prize. Writer william boyds novel a good man in africa is a story that concerns the activities of the protagonistmain character, morgan leafy. But this is a necessary addition to the literature on circumcision, a practice that will still be with us for a. That cynical but bemused british voice, perfected by evelyn waugh in scoop, in which the hero is a selfcentered scoundrel concerned mostly with drink and women, who is posted to some obscure corner. The black africans are either corrupt or stupid or both, while the white british consulate staff are just as stupid, but know when they need to assert their authority. In the small african republic of kinjanja, british diplomat m. A good man in africa is a marvellous, rare kind of book. The story is set in ibadan, which is in western nigeria. Aug 12, 2010 westerners behaving badly in good man in africa william boyds hapless protagonist is a misogynistic, misanthropic, overweight, oversexed first secretary of the british high commission in the. Through his lens, policemen are both everyday heroes and psychologists.
As ive said before, its a parody of africa, politics in africa, the african man himself and the white man trying to fit in. He tells of his plans for a chain of good african coffee shops in south africa, britain and uganda, and. That cynical but bemused british voice, perfected by evelyn waugh in scoop, in which the hero is a selfcentered scoundrel concerned mostly with drink and women, who is posted to. Your community and guide to relationship advice, the latest in celebrity news, culture, style, travel, home, finances, shopping deals, career and more. It won both the whitbread book award for a first novel and the somerset maugham. Due in part to a weak screenplay and some of the worst miscasting in the history of cinema it did not work well as a film, but the novel remains a classic. May 20, 2011 theres a lot of urban cape town colloquialism in the book a man who is not a man, which will cause readers not familiar with the language to read haltingly. The plot is set in an imaginary westafrican country in the 1970s. A good man in africa is the first novel by william boyd, published in 1981.
A novel vintage international kindle edition by boyd, william. Theres a lot of urban cape town colloquialism in the book a man who is not a man, which will cause readers not familiar with the language to read haltingly. Nov 14, 2017 notes on the african big man the mindset of the big men who have returned to the political arenas of europe and america have often been compared to those of african dictators. With his first book, a good man in africa, william boyd has made a fine and very funny contribution to that now familiar genre of the english.
Nigeria, is one of those grandly cynical, infectiously foul and petty antiheroes who spit. A man who is not a man by thando mgqolozana africa book club. Winner of the whitbread first novel award book fiction 1980. Salihs story of a man returning to his sudanese village from england is a bleak meditation on crosscultural misunderstandings, as well as the confusions and. The book is hilarious at times and at others rather serious and even macabre. Carothers and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A good man in africa is boom written by william boyd. Taylor then created a photo book of joels pictures called by d grace.
The thought provoking booking left yours truly wondering who is the good man in africa, for the most obvious answer may not apply in this case. Good man in africa counter display by william boyd and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A good man in africa was boyds first novel, and first novels are often a good bet because the hurdle to get them published is that much higher. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading a good man in africa. By a member of one of afrikanerdoms leading apartheid families, it goes into the heart of darkness of a country in turmoil. Leafy is the first secretary of the british high commission.
Morgan leafy colin friels is a british diplomat living in kinjanja, an african nation. Due in part to a weak screenplay and some of the worst miscasting in the history of cinema it did not work well as a film, but the novel remains a classic of twentieth century modern fiction. Jan 08, 2015 author william boyd, who won the whitbread book award and the somerset maugham award for his debut novel a good man in africa, came to speak to our students in 2014. Nigeria, is one of those grandly cynical, infectiously foul and petty antiheroes who spit and sweat through british 20thcentury comic fiction. Westerners behaving badly in good man in africa william boyds hapless protagonist is a misogynistic, misanthropic, overweight, oversexed first secretary of the british high commission in the. Morgan leafy is hardly the most respectable of her majestys representatives in the west african state of kinjanja. William boyds first novel, a good man in africa, won a whitbread prize and a somerset maugham award. The protagonist of a good man in africa, bruce beresfords prosaic film version of william boyds novel about brits in africa, is a boozer and a womanizer and an absolute amoral slob. Published in 1981, this book was the first one written by the author.
A good man in africa by william boyd 10 out of 10 this novel is astounding, phenomenal and it confirms the admiration that i have gained for the author after reading another splendid work, an icecream war. William boyd on writing a good man in africa youtube. The photos became clearer and better lit until, eventually, joel was sending quite poignant pics of life in west africa. A good man in africa 1994 a good man in africa 1994. Gma is your source for useful news and inspiration on how to live your best life. By novels end, leafy may not have become a better manor even a much wiser onebut he has acquired a kind of dignity and gritty courage for which he is well suited. A good man in africa posted on 12th october 2015 by sally campbell everyone loves an antihero and antiheroes dont come more unheroic than this. It won both the whitbread book award for a first novel and the somerset maugham award that year. Hilarious, with fine characterization and a well paced plot, it combines the intelligence of classic fiction with groundlevel punch.
Please expect some creasing to the spine andor minor damage to the cover. Buy a good man in africa by william boyd from waterstones today. Notes on the african big man the mindset of the big men who have returned to the political arenas of europe and america have often. A good man in africa by william boyd is a novel that deals with the interests and intrigues of its main character, morgan leafy. Taylor then created a photo book of joels pictures called by d. William boyds novel a good man in africa 1981 follows the misadventures of morgan leafy, a hopelessly selfcentered employee of the british deputy high commission in a fictional country called kinjanja, in west africa. His love of women, his fondness for drink, and his loathing for the country prove formidable obstacles on his road to any kind of success. His first novel, a good man in africa 1981, won the whitbread first novel award and the somerset maugham prize. A good man in africa is a 1994 film, based on william boyd s 1981 novel a good man in africa and directed by bruce beresford. April 2, 1982 morgan leafy, first secretary at the british high commission in nkongsamba, kinjanja a.
A good man in africa is william boyds classic, prizewinning debut novel winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham prize escapee from suburbia, overweight, oversexed. Then, the author takes us on a remarkable journey around south africa, the country where his profession brought him later in life. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Having shuddered a bit over the description in his book of cerebral malaria i was two weeks unconscious. Apr 03, 2018 a good man in africa is boom written by william boyd. In a west african nation, the womanizing british 1st secretary of the high commissioner deals with different issues. Author william boyd, who won the whitbread book award and the somerset maugham award for his debut novel a good man in africa, came. Rugasira sat reading to himself from the book of revelations. But this is a necessary addition to the literature on circumcision, a practice that will still be with us for a long time to come. The book rises to true comic heights, and the last few chapters had me laughing to tears.
More than an insightful account of a policemans work, terence walters book is a complex study of human weaknesses and obsessions. Author william boyd, who won the whitbread book award and the somerset maugham award for his debut novel a good man in africa, came to speak to our students in 2014. This is the second book i have read by boyd and i have to say i think he is quite brilliant. Find books like a good man in africa from the worlds largest community of readers. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A good man in africa has light, subtle humour, it may not be funny, but its original. In a good man in africa, boyd spins a darkly comic tale of political corruption, revolution, sexual misadventure, blackmail, and death.
He is the first secretary of the british high commission, and his posting is in the town of nkongsamba, state capital of. A good man in africa by william boyd, paperback barnes. His other novels include an ice cream war 1982, shortlisted for the 1982 booker prize and winner of the john llewellyn rhys prize, stars and bars 1984, the. He is the first secretary of the british high commission, and his posting is in the town of nkongsamba, state capital of the midwestern region, kinjanja, west africa.
The book touches on his hairraising nocturnal escape into botswana, complete with twisted ankles and kidnap attempts, but this is not only a personal story. A south african explores the madness in his country, his tribe and himself, this book was a bestseller in south africa and elsewhere when it came out in 1990. Good man in africa counter display by william boyd and a great selection of related books. Morgan leafy isnt overburdened with worldly success. Goodreads members who liked a good man in africa also liked. Published by hamish hamilton, the book received many awards for its amazing plot and a gripping storyline. Mar 30, 2010 a good man in africa has no heroes or villains. A good man in africa has some politically incorrect things to say, and needs to say them in a certain tone to get away with them. Nov 07, 2017 the photos became clearer and better lit until, eventually, joel was sending quite poignant pics of life in west africa. In the small african republic of kinjanja, british diplomat morgan leafy bumbles heavily through his job. A good man in africa colin friels joanne whalley sean connery 1994 a british diplomat colin friels tries to sway a bad politician and a good doctor sean connery in an emerging nation.